In an effort to bring fresh, organic food to Pittsburgh’s Strip District and Lawrenceville neighborhoods, five partners recently opened Heirloom Superfood Market at 3101 Penn Ave.
Pittsburgh Juice Company co-founder Naomi Homison and collaborators Asante Bierria, Pure Grub; Adam Hoppel, Venture.RE; Tim Vernon, Frontier Cultures, and Anne Marie Ellison Miller, AMEM, are collaborators in the effort, Miller says.
The multi-vendor marketplace is built around providing highly nutritional items, emphasizing products free from gluten, dairy, and processed sugar, she adds.
“We are working with artisans and vendors who fall within those guidelines. … We want to provide a haven for folks who have food sensitivities or allergies,” Miller says.
“There is not a lot of access to health and natural foods in that area. There is the wonderful Strip District, with fantastic traditional Pittsburgh places to shop. But there is a lack of high nutrition-dense foods in that area. (This) fills a gap,” she says.
Founders also hope more consumers, with access to grains, local meats and fresh produce, will prepare more meals at home.
While inventory selection is continuing, options will not be limitless, Miller adds.
The hope is that consumers also will be open to trying new things.
“Even at maximum capacity, it won’t be like a big box store,” Miller says.
In addition to selling organic produce, Pittsburgh Juice Company products, Pittsburgher Highland Farm beef, and Cafe Chocolad gluten-free pasta, the store also offers lunches to go, she says.
Still a work in progress, Miller says, items can include smoothie bowls, bagels with vegan cream cheese or mashed avocado, and soups and stews.
Founders also work with vendors to bring hard to find and local health and wellness products, events and experiences to the neighborhood, a news release states.
Entrepreneurs are provided work space, a commercial kitchen and a network to help launch them, Miller says, whether that be to a food truck or a brick and mortar site of their own.
Founding partner Frontier Cultures was the first incubated business.
“The more, the merrier,” Miller says.
Programming focusing on health and wellness is planned, and a series of raw-vegan dinners is under way, featuring a four-course meal with wine and cold-pressed juice cocktail pairings.
Future dates are July 26 and Aug. 26.
“It’s delicious, and it happens to be vegan,” Miller says.
Store hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Friday.
Details: heirloommarketpgh.com
Mary Pickels is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Mary at 724-836-5401, mpickels@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MaryPickels.
