The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News
The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News
The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News
Essie’s Original Hot Dog Shop, affectionately known as The O among Pittsburgh residents, was a hot dog shop located in the heart of Oakland that recently closed down after about 60 years of operation.

New restaurants to replace The O

By Bobbo Craig, For The Pitt News • November 16, 2020
Mero Restaurant Group, a locally owned and operated restaurant company, will soon put two new restaurants in the former Forbes Avenue home of The O.
The famed 60-year-old Oakland restaurant had an empty storefront on Saturday evening.

Pitt alumni look back on 60 years of The O

By Ashton Crawley, Senior Staff Writer • April 29, 2020
The shop, founded in May 1960, was famous for its hot dogs and gigantic stacks of fries that were comfort food to many generations of Pitt students.
The famed 60-year-old Oakland restaurant had an empty storefront on Saturday evening.

Longtime manager confirms The O’s closure

By Rebecca Johnson and Jon Moss • April 18, 2020
The restaurant, located at the corner of South Bouquet Street and Forbes Avenue was opened by brothers Sydney and Morris Simon in 1960, and has been owned and run since the mid-2000s by Sydney’s children Terry Campasano and Bruce Simon.
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