Former Panther Pit location up for sale after the bar’s November closing

The former location of the Panther Pit Sports Bar and Grill is on the market after being permanently shut down by law enforcement last semester. 

At the end of March, Keystone Real Estate announced the property was back up for sale with a base price of $795,000. David Glickman, president of Keystone Real Estate, said he is excited for the property’s future. The building is three stories with outdoor patios, a full kitchen and two bars, a setup he said is “perfect for a bar restaurant.”

After opening in August 2022, the Panther Pit faced legal trouble, including underage drinking citations at least 20 times, health code violations and operating with no liquor license. 

In February 2023, the business received seven health code violations from the Allegheny County Health Department and was forced to shut down for a week. The bar received both “low” and “medium” risk violations due to leaking sewage pipes, lack of soap for handwashing and structural damage.

Between January 2023 and October 2024, the police were called to the bar at least 40 times. 

The bar had been raided several times by the state police for selling alcohol without a liquor license, with 350 gallons of liquor and 80 gallons of beer seized last September. The owners, Kenneth Plumb and Prasad Margabandu, were charged with violating liquor laws in November 2024. 

At that time, an Allegheny County judge ordered the Panther Pit to be shut down for at least a year. 

Plumb and Margabandu did not respond to multiple requests for comment from The Pitt News. 

Andrew Schwab, a senior environmental science major, worked at the Panther Pit from January 2023 to April 2023 as a bouncer. Although the bar created controversy, Schwab described Panther Pit as “the spot.”

“It revitalized South Oakland and created jobs for students and citizens alike,” Schwab said. “Panther Pit was fun, respectful and welcoming of all communities, and the drinks were good too.”

Glickman said the previous owners’ activity will not affect the sale of the property. 

“They just did something that was not permitted; they didn’t damage the property,” Glickman said. “It’s being sold with no issues.”

Real estate near the University is competitive, according to Glickman, making this a rare opportunity for potential buyers.

“Oakland doesn’t have a huge business district, so there’s a limited supply of commercial properties,” Glickman said. “Oakland has multiple big universities, [making] it a great neighborhood for businesses because of all the people that live and work there.”

Glickman said that although there has been interest in the property, he believes it will take some time to find the “right buyer.” Glickman plans on selling the property by the summer and said the next owner will be “reputable.”