Waterfront the destination for all things retail

On the edge of the Waterfront stand 12 towering smokestacks — homage to the former steel mills… On the edge of the Waterfront stand 12 towering smokestacks — homage to the former steel mills that built Pittsburgh.

Today, large and small stores, restaurants, entertainment venues, apartments and offices taken the place of a neighborhood that was the site of a violent strike that revealed Andrew Carnegie’s beliefs about labor rights.

In 1882, a famous labor and lockout strike erupted on what is now a parking lot at the Waterfront, one of Pittsburgh’s biggest and most recently opened shopping centers. The Homestead Strike, a major dispute between the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers and the Carnegie Steel Company, left about a dozen men dead and forever stained Carnegie’s image as a benevolent employer.

But the once grim site of the steel mill has since been replaced by a different sort of bustle.

Big-name department stores such as Target and Macy’s and brand-name retailers such as Victoria’s Secret have set up shop at the Waterfront. Just outside the busy commercial area, residential Homestead sits largely unchanged by the shopping development.

There are plenty of places to grab a quick bite while you’re shopping at the Waterfront. Eat’n Park, Red Robin and Chick-fil-A are all readily available options for something quick and inexpensive.

For something sweet, Custard Crossing is a local standout for ice cream. Drop by the serving window for quick $2 cones or take a seat inside to escape the heat.

For students looking for something a little more upscale, there are many different moderately priced, dimly lit restaurants, such as P.F. Chang’s China Bistro and Gran Agave.

Students looking to pair their dinner with some entertainment have a few options as well. Head over to the 22-theater AMC Loews to catch the newest blockbuster movie in 2-D, 3-D, IMAX or IMAX 3-D. Students with some time to kill during the day can get tickets with their student IDs for $5 Monday through Thursday before 6 p.m..

Another entertainment option is the Improv comedy club, which has big names such as Bob Saget and Wayne Brady perform on a fairly regular basis. Younger students have to catch their favorite comedian on a Thursday or Sunday, because all other nights the club is 21-and-older. The first and third Wednesdays of every month are open mic nights, and those are open to anyone over 18.

Manager Wintis Gibson added a note of caution, however. “That’s subject to change,” he said, referring to the club’s set schedule. “Last Wednesday we had to cancel [open mic night] for George Lopez.”

Dave & Buster’s restaurant, bar and arcade is also located at the Waterfront offering video games, prizes and food.

Senior computer science major Joe Meszar goes to Dave & Buster’s and then hits one of his favorite bars in Homestead — or sometimes the other way around.

“The Blue Dust bar has like 25 beers on tap, and they have a great menu,” Meszar said. “Then I’ll go and spend like 60 bucks at Dave & Buster’s on pool or basketball. Air hockey is fun too.”

Kyle Stelmack, a junior and a Pathfinder, likes the variety of shops and entertainment options available at the Waterfront.

“Usually I go down there for a movie or Dick’s [Sporting Goods], sometimes to go Halloween shopping,” Stelmack said. “It’s got a little bit of everything.”