< Previous%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced Read and share content at awmagazine.com Coraopolis Youth Creations’ community center is now up and running in its new location adjacent to the Prestige Kitchen and Bath showroom at 912 4th Avenue in downtown Coraopolis. Called The Hub, CYC began hosting youth programming and events at the center last summer in the completely remodeled and updated space. Classes and community events will resume in the spring along with a grand opening celebration. Currently, CYC is renting The Hub for private events, including birthday parties, graduation parties, baby and bridal showers, meetings, and more. The 4,000-square-foot, ADA-compliant space provides plenty of room for gatherings for all ages and has been used to host a number of events thus far. It has features industrial elements and modern style, including wrought-iron railings, tin siding, exposed brick, sliding barn doors, all-new flooring, stained wood, directional lighting and an exposed ceiling. It also has a kitchen, bathrooms and mezzanine level. The Hub is the result of a partnership between the CYC and Metro Developers. Funds raised through event rentals help CYC fund its youth programs. For more, visit www. youthcreations.net. The Hub now available for private event rentals CONTENT SUBMITTED ABOVE: Coraopolis Youth Creations’ new community center, The Hub, has become Coraopolis’ newest events center. Coraopolis Youth Creations began hosting youth programming at The Hub this past summer. Funds raised through event rentals help support youth programming that will start up again this spring. The 19th Annual Good Friday Cross Walk, sponsored by The West Hills Ministerium Association, will take place April 15 from noon until 1 p.m. in downtown Coraopolis. The cross walk will begin and end at The Presbyterian Church of Coraopolis, which is located at 1201 Fifth Avenue. The route will go a few blocks along 4th and 5th avenues until returning to the Presbyterian Church lawn. A brief worship service will then occur as the three crosses are erected on the church lawn. There will be a second church hymn and a few related Bible readings. Cross walk to take place in April The three crosses are raised in front of The Presbyterian Church of Coraopolis. Clearview increased community support in 2021 Clearview Federal Credit Union continued and increased its community support during 2021 through the Clearview Cares initiative. Clearview donated over $150,000 to support local charitable organizations in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and employees spent over 7,200 hours volunteering in the community. An ongoing partnership with Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank provided 33,000 meals and a Thanksgiving food distribution to support 200 families. Clearview also awarded $15,000 in scholarships and provided a financial education program to over 5,000 students in the region. For more on Clearview Cares initiatives, visit clearviewfcu.org/cares. CONTENT SUBMITTED 10 • Allegheny West Magazine • Spring 2022%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced Project Linus has delivered over eight million blankets to people all over the nation since its origin in 1995. Recently, clients of West Hills Meals on Wheels, which operates out of the Coraopolis United Methodist Church and services communities across western Allegheny County, became the latest recipients of Project Linus’ homemade blankets. Project Linus is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide handmade blankets to children and adults, but especially children in need, from newborns to 18-years-olds. With chapters in all 50 states, Project Linus distributes to children in hospitals, shelters, social service agencies, or anyone who may just need a blanket and a hug. People are able to donate materials, create blankets and donate money to the organization. The 55 blankets that West Hills Meals on Wheels received came from a Project Linus chapter in Greenville run by Linda Hajtol, who is the organization’s coordinator for Mercer County. “We have a wonderful group of women that Project Linus calls ‘blanketeers’ who make all of the blankets by hand,” said Linda. “We are so grateful for them and their efforts.” Hajtol plans to keep helping as many people as possible through Project Linus and is excited to help out clients of Meals on Wheels. “My goal for Mercer County is to keep growing in numbers of ‘blanketeers’ and being able to help more children in our county. This year I’ve donated over 700 blankets! I could not do this if I didn’t have the help and support of these women.” All West Hills Meals on Wheels clients received a blanket as a present for the holidays. Each client was grateful and appreciative for a handmade blanket to keep them warm this winter. Those interested in receiving meals through West Hills Meals on Wheels can contact the kitchen at (412) 262-5973. Karen Bates (left) coordinates Project Linus’ efforts in Mercer County. She’s pictured here with Barb Hess (right) of the West Hills Meals on Wheels. Bates donated blankets to the kitchen for its clients this past holiday season. Project Linus teams up with West Hills Meals on Wheels Rotary donates to Coraopolis Train Station Project The Parkway West Rotary Club donated $4,000 to the Coraopolis Train Station Project in November. The proceeds were raised through the Rotary’s Gerry Dulac Charity Golf Classic, which is annually hosted by the club. The train station project involves converting the old historic Coraopolis Train Station, located in downtown Coraopolis, into a mixed-used community space. It has been ongoing for the past several years and is beginning to enter its final stages after extensive work on both the exterior and interior. Parkway West Rotary members present a check to Cara Mason and Amy Cavicchia (both pictured at center) from the Coraopolis Community Development Corporation. Club members pictured are state Rep. Anita Kulik, club president Tom Myl, Gerry Dulac, Sam Duerr III and Marcy McKivitz. CONTENT SUBMITTED CONTENT SUBMITTED More good news for the Borough of Coraopolis. The Borough was informed that a grant in the amount of $306,500 was awarded to the Borough for Phase 2 of the Riverfront Park development. The grant was awarded by the Community Conservation Partnership Program administered by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The Borough is hoping to break ground this year and possibly get Phase 1 and Phase 2 completed together. The Riverfront Park will run along 1st Avenue from the garage on Mulberry Street to Chestnut Street and it will consist of an amphitheater, a parking lot that will also be utilized for Bliwas Field, a pavilion, walking trail, a gazebo and a playground. The Borough is required to match the funds of the two grants that were awarded. This will be a significant addition to the community. BY RAY MCCUTCHEON, CORAOPOLIS BOROUGH MANAGER Coraopolis receives grant for Riverfront Park development Allegheny West Magazine accepts submissions of community news for the Locally Sourced section. Share your news with: info@awmagazine.com Spring 2022 • www.awmagazine.com • 11%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced For many people, the passing of a loved one can be one of the most difficult experiences they will ever have to face. For those with loved ones who passed without life insurance, or who failed to pre-plan for their funeral, it can be even worse. Funeral expenses can be significant, and so can the costs associated with interment. That was what was behind a recent decision by St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Moon Township to construct a new columbarium and garden on the church property that would be open to the general public. The columbarium and garden provide families with a cost- effective means by which to entomb crematory remains or scatter ashes. The columbarium and garden are located at the side of the church between the worship area and the hillside, not far from Beaver Grade Road. It is obscured by the church building, pine trees and landscaping. The garden is named the J. Edward Lilja Memorial Garden, after The Rev. J. Edward Lilja, who died in a car accident one year after beginning his ministry with St. Andrew in 1962. “Our purpose is to provide a space where people can have loved ones interred at a reasonable cost, and in some cases no cost if in financial need,” says Rev. Larry Mort, pastor at St. Andrew. “It is a sacred and safe space for this purpose. It is to be a ministry of our congregation and an outreach to our community.” Mort says that the COVID-19 pandemic impressed upon him the need for such a place. “I presided at many funerals during the months of the pandemic when most churches were closed and almost all clergy were quarantining,” he says. “While presiding at so many funerals I became keenly aware of the cost of interments in cemeteries in our area.” Between the price of a cemetery plot, the opening of a grave, a vault, a marker, and a casket, the interment of a body can run a family more than $10,000. Mort says the cost for interment in the proposed columbarium at St. Andrew would be $1,250, or $2,500 for a niche. The church is also offering an option to scatter ashes at the site for $500. The fee includes engraving of the name, date of birth, and date of death of the person on the side of the columbarium, and contributes to the care of the garden area. A permanent record of those interred in the garden will also be kept in the church office. If deemed necessary, waiving some or all of the fees associated with scattering ashes in the Memorial Garden is possible. A minimum fee of $250 provides the cost for engraving but, in some cases, even this fee can be waived. “The Memorial Garden brings to all a message of assurance and peace,” says Mort. “It is natural that the church should be a site for committal of ashes and the last rites of comfort.” St. Andrew Lutheran Church establishing memorial garden for affordable interments Diane Cleaners again donates coats to West Hills Food Pantry For the 21st consecutive year, Diane Cleaners in Moon Township collected and cleaned coats for the West Hills Food Pantry this past October. The business once again solicited and received hundreds of coat donations from community members throughout the month and donated them to the pantry just in time for the winter months. After collecting and cleaning the coats, the business then stored them until they could be donated in early November. The coats were made available to food pantry clients at its Nov. 9 distribution. Diane Cleaners owner Charlie Budavich says the collection has become an annual tradition for the business, one that Moon Area community members have shown an overwhelming willingness to support each year. The business also solicits coat donations on its marquee at the busy three-way intersection of Beaver Grade Road, Sharon Road and Grace Center Way. “After all these years we have a great system,” says Budavich. “The community has just been so overwhelmingly supportive of it.” Pantry director Sandra Hershberger says that, with this year’s donation, Diane Cleaners has donated approximately 14,000 new and used coats. “To me it’s so heartwarming, the overwhelming response not just from our own community but beyond,” say Hershberger. “There are just so many caring people out there.” Budavich says Diane Cleaners has been in business since 1964 and has remained in the family that entire time. It was started by Budavich’s grandfather and then taken over by his father and uncle. He took it over from them. He and his cousin are now the third generation to operate the business. Budavich says he first started the coat drive while looking to do some community outreach. “We’ve been doing it for over 20 years and we’ll continue doing it for well into the future,” he says. Coat donations are accepted annually throughout the month of October at Diane Cleaners, which is located at 844 Beaver Grade Road. Diane Cleaners can be reached at (412) 264-5261. CONTENT SUBMITTEDCONTENT SUBMITTED These coats were among the latest donated by Diane Cleaners in Moon Township to the West Hills Food Pantry. The J. Edward Lilja Memorial Garden is currently being constructed at St. Andrew Lutheran Church. 12 • Allegheny West Magazine • Spring 2022%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced Allegheny West Magazine founder and publisher Pat Jennette has been named editor of the National Park Travelers Club’s newsletter, “The Stamp Pad.” She will oversee the production, design and distribution of the quarterly newsletter serving 2,500 paying members and over 10,000+ site participants across the country. NPTC is a national nonprofit organization of National Park enthusiasts who share a passion for the natural and historical treasures protected within the National Park system. Members engage in activities to collect the system’s 423 unit stamps, participate in regional meetups and attend a national conference. Yvonne Manske, president of the National Park Travelers Club, said in the announcement, “The Board has voted unanimously to appoint Pat Jennette as the new Stamp Pad Editor. Pat has been a member since 2016 and comes with a wealth of experience in editing and producing newsletters. We are excited to have her on board.” As the new editor, Jennette will also work with membership to keep them abreast of membership news, share stories about the National Parks, and provide a variety of news relevant to the members as it relates to the National Park system. Prior to accepting the position, Jennette owned and operated Real Visuals for RV Parks, which provided marketing for the RV park industry for four years. Previously, she founded Allegheny West Magazine and published the magazine for 15 years before selling the company to current publisher, Doug Hughey, in 2014. As publisher emeritus, she continues to write and edit for the magazine. She is formerly a resident of Imperial. A full-time RVer since 2016, Jennette and her husband, John, travel the U.S. and have made their winter home in Southern California. They have visited, to date, 118 of the nation’s 423 National Park units. They have visited 37 of the 63 official National Parks. The couple has made presentations about the National Parks over the years at RV properties and local libraries, sharing their love and passion for the National Park system. They also served for a season as volunteers at Pinnacles National Park in California. Additionally, they have shared their knowledge with students at cyber schools. They are members of the National Park Foundation and the National Park Conservation Association. Allegheny West publisher emeritus named editor of national publication CONTENT SUBMITTED Pat Jennette is pictured at Big Bend National Park in October of 2021. Spring 2022 • www.awmagazine.com • 13y > Learning Curves Learning Curves During my years in chiropractic practice, I’ve treated many patients who suffered from neuropathy, which is a condition that affects the peripheral nerves. Patients with neuropathy can experience a range of symptoms, from pain in their extremities to cramps and muscle loss. While treating these patients, I’ve felt their frustration, as many had yet to receive the proper medical intervention they needed to address their underlying condition. Instead, they’d been prescribed medications to help suppress their symptoms. These experiences led me to research the best conservative treatments available for neuropathy that could be administered right in our office. In January of this year, we started to implement our new neuropathy reversal protocol and, thus far, we have been seeing some amazing results. Among our patients, 92% have experienced improvement. Some of these patients previously experienced pins and needles every time their bed sheets touched their feet. Over the course of treatment, we have seen significant improvement in sensory functioning. There are over 100 different types of neuropathies, with the three most common being chemotherapy-induced, diabetic and spinal- induced neuropathy. Our neuropathy reversal protocol has a four-pronged approach that restores blood flow to the nerves with a combination of at-home therapies, nutritional protocols and in-clinic treatments. Imagine if you had a beautiful rose bush that you then covered with a blanket, depriving it of sun and water. Then, two months later, you took that blanket off, started watering it daily and allowed the sun to shine on it. Those roots run deep into the ground and, if you fed the roots the water and sunlight it needed, that rose bush would regrow and regenerate. Our protocol acts very similarly by restoring blood flow to the nerves. On April 16, we will be hosting a neuropathy seminar at the Western Allegheny Community Library at 181 Bateman Road in Oakdale from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Seats are limited and we are asking people to RSVP by calling our office or to reach out to the library and RSVP on their website. If you believe you are suffering from neuropathy and would like to schedule an appointment, please call our office. We will conduct a sensory examination with a thermal scan. Readers who mention this article will receive a discount. The sensory exam allows us to get a better understanding of a patient’s condition and decide whether or not they are a good candidate for our program. Dr. Josh Slomkowski holds a doctorate in chiropractic and is the owner of Hometown Spine & Sport, which is located at 7350 Steubenville Pike, just off the Route 22 Oakdale Exit. For more, visit www.hometownspineandsport.com or call them at (412) 490-1700. The practice is open on Monday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., on Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Hometown Spine & Sport accepts most insurance and also offers Department of Transportation physicals. Reversing neuropathy symptoms naturally BY DR. JOSH SLOMKOWSKI, OWNER, HOMETOWN SPINE AND SPORT A thermal scan shows the foot of a patient suffering from neuropathy before treatment and following. 14 • Allegheny West Magazine • Spring 2022y > Learning Curves Learning Curves Each year, the average home produces about 40 pounds of dust. Oftentimes, this dust contains a combination of pet dander, mold spores, bacteria, fungus, mildew and microbes. Not only is this dust unsightly, but it can also be a trigger for allergies and asthma. According to the Environmental Working Group, analyses of common household dust have also been shown to contain harmful chemicals, including phthalates, flame retardants, phenols, perfluoirnated chemicals and other substances used to produce everything from furniture, to carpet treatments, to personal care products. While these chemicals can be harmful to anyone, children in particular are more at risk because of their lower body weight and because they are often in close contact with the floor. Staying on top of cleaning, therefore, is important to the health of those living in the home. Yet dusting and vacuuming can only achieve so much, particularly when microscopic airborne allergens and toxic chemicals have a way of collecting in vents and cold air returns that carry air throughout the house. That’s where an effective vent cleaning system can make such a huge difference in indoor air quality. One such system is the powerful Rotobrush Air Duct Cleaning System, which is designed and patented for one purpose: air duct cleaning. The Rotobrush is specifically designed to clean flex, metal, and duct board systems. It even cleans the wrinkles and crevices of flex-duct found in most systems. The Rotobrush works by inserting a brush that dislodges dust into the vents. The dust is then captured by a strong vacuum nozzle that sucks up debris and deposits it safely in a self- contained dust reservoir. The specialized system works to clean the most unsanitary parts of the home by combining ultra powerful vacuums and brushes to remove allergy and asthma triggers. It is the only method that power-brushes and vacuums at the same time. Otherwise left alone, vents can become a breeding ground for tiny airborne allergens and chemicals that can then be blown throughout the house and easily inhaled. Some households may contain more potentially harmful microbes and chemicals than others. Because most people don’t usually go looking in their vents, however, it might be difficult to tell if a vent system is need of cleaning. Here are few easy ways to tell if your vents should be cleaned: • Pets live in the home • Someone in the home smokes cigarettes or cigars • Recent renovations have produced dust and dirt • Excessive dust collects on floors and furnishings • The home has a history of a fire or water leak • The home has a new furnace or AC installation • The home has an insect or rodent infestation • The home is older with flaking lead paint Some households may also be more at risk than others. For instance, unclean air can more adversely affect those with allergies, asthma or an autoimmune disorder. Recently, Jim Meyers and Son Plumbing in Oakdale invested in a Rotobrush Air Duct Cleaning System. The company is now offering vent-cleaning services to area homeowners. Their team of highly qualified professionals have received advanced training to ensure proper techniques are used during the cleaning process. They even begin each air-duct cleaning session with a video inspection that provides visual proof of air duct cleanliness using before and after pictures. For more information, and to sign up for a free quote, call them at (412) 787-7805 or visit www.meyersplumbingpittsburgh.com/ air-duct-cleaning. Eliminating what lurks inside your home’s air vents CONTENT SUBMITTED ABOVE: The Rotobrush works by inserting a brush into the vents and then collecting dust with a powerful vacuum. BELOW: An air return and vent are shown following cleaning. Spring 2022 • www.awmagazine.com • 15CAround Your Town Around Your Town For much of his life, Bob McCutcheon has harbored a passion for music. During his teen years, he played in rock bands and developed an interest in recording. Then, while in college at Robert Morris University, he took things to the next level, convincing his mom to let him convert part of her house into a recording studio. “God bless my mother, but she let me take over the basement, the garage, built out the rooms, the windows,” he says. In college, McCutcheon didn’t study music. Instead, he majored in business and finance. After graduation, he joined the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers and went on to have a successful 25-year career with the company. Music, though, continued to be a passion for McCutcheon, even while he was raising his two sons with his wife, Dana, and rising through the ranks of his firm. Then, in 2013, he purchased a nondescript commercial building on Neville Island that had once been home to a PNC branch and a water treatment company. His goal was to convert it into what he’d always wanted: his own professional recording studio. Today, Bob can hardly believe where that decision has taken him. After hiring an architect out of Los Angeles who specializes in designing sound studios, Bob spent several years designing, gutting and building out the space. The result is a professional sound recording studio outfitted with some of the most sought- after equipment in the industry. Bob has also teamed up with six-time Grammy Award-winning producer and engineer Jimmy Hoyson - whose resume includes working with the likes of Eric Clapton, Lou Reed, Green Day, Paul McCartney and many others - to run it. Producers, engineers and artists who have worked with talent like Kiss, Guns and Roses, Bon Jovi, David Bowie and others have also found their way to the studio in the past few years. Smokey Robinson even participated in a fundraising event held there in 2019 to benefit The Rhythm 19 Fund, a nonprofit wing of the business. “It’s pretty crazy,” Bob says, looking back on the past nine years. “It’s been a blast.” These days, Bob, who is now retired from his accounting career, spends many of his days in the studio working under his label, The Vault Records. He and Hoyson just wrapped up a project with Eddie Manion, a saxophonist who has performed with the E Street Band. One of the first artists Bob signed was Chris Jamison, the Pittsburgh native who became famous after appearing on NBC’s “The Voice” in 2014. Before COVID-19 shut down the country, Bob and Dana were also working to bring students from local schools into the studio to expose them to the industry. Students from North Allegheny, Knoch Area, Moon Area, Sto-Rox, Hampton, the Neighborhood Academy, Nazareth Prep and Holy Family had all visited the studio on field trips. Bob says they’re hoping to get those schools and others back into the studio just as soon as COVID-19 allows. “We’ll bring in engineers, producers, artists, all in to spend time with the students and get them to learn a little more about this part of the business,” he says. Through The Rhythm 19 Fund, the couple has also funded music and art programs at various area schools. It’s a nonprofit Bob and Dana established in memory of their son Ryan who passed away in 2017 in a car accident. Like his dad, Ryan had been an avid musician and student at Robert Morris. Bob says Ryan was returning to campus after working with a high school drum line when he fell asleep at the wheel. He was just 19. The couple’s youngest son, Brett, is an avid musician as well and majoring in music education at Slippery Rock University. Bob says Brett produces and arranges at the studio, and uses it for his own projects. “It’s definitely a family affair,” says Bob. While Bob says the studio has been a way for he and his family to realize their passions, he says it’s also a way to raise the game of the music scene in Pittsburgh. The way he sees it, the investments they’ve made are prompting other studios in the area to invest as well, thereby helping to raise the overall profile of the industry. He compares the situation to investments made by Carnegie Mellon University, Google and others in Pittsburgh’s technology sector in recent decades. “I grew up in the consulting world, so the analogy I always use is take a look at the technology in Pittsburgh,” says Bob. “We had all this great talent but that talent didn’t feel like they could succeed here, so they went where they felt there was an ecosystem for success…My concept was if we can just play a small part and make a small investment in this city and upgrade the talent that’s here, we can also attract talent outside of the city.” In The Vault’s case, that didn’t mean just building out a studio and buying some fancy new equipment. It meant searching out some of the most sought-after pieces in the industry. For example, at the heart of The Vault’s setup is one such piece that’s a rarity outside of places like Nashville, Tennessee and Los Angeles, California: a vintage 1970s Neve console. It’s an iconic piece of equipment in the industry, the likes of which are typically only found at major studios, says Hoyson, who has worked on them throughout his career. Vintage Neves have been used to produce much of the era-defining rock music most people know today. “Early blue-faced Neves like the one at the vault are the most famous and most coveted,” says Hoyson. “It’s what you will find at places like Sunset Sound and Capital Records.” The one The Vault owns, however, has a particularly famous history. Bob says he first went looking for a vintage Neve after Hoyson suggested it, though the idea had also been planted in his mind by the documentary “Sound City.” Produced by David Groll, the documentary tells the story of the studio of the same name, which is where This Neville Island studio wants to up Pittsburgh’s music game STORY BY DOUG HUGHEY Bob McCutcheon (at left), owner of The Vault recording studio on Neville Island, has teamed up with six-time Grammy Award- winning producer and engineer Jimmy Hoyson (at right). PHOTO SUBMITTED 16 • Allegheny West Magazine • Spring 2022CAround Your Town Around Your Town Nirvana’s “Nevermind” was recorded, along with tracks by Tom Petty, Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, Red Hot Chili Peppers and others - all on a Neve 8028 console. Bob says he figured it would take years to find one, let alone one that was restored. Within weeks, however, Hoyson tracked down a 1970s Neve 8058 that had just gone through restoration at Vintage King Audio in Detroit, Michigan. He and Bob drove there to check it out and Bob acquired it. The pair then found out that Vintage King had purchased it from music producer Scott Litt, whose resume includes producing albums for REM and working with the likes of Nirvana, The Replacements and others. When Bob and Hoyson reached out to Litt, they found out that he had originally purchased the console from George Harrison of The Beatles. Harrison and Pete Drake, the famous steel pedal guitar player who invented the talk box - had both used the console before Litt acquired it. Hoyson says he only knows of one other studio in Pittsburgh that has a vintage Neve, but that it’s not like The Vault’s. “It totally changed the game,” says Bob. “It’s what producers will look for.” Bob says that after the studio acquired the Neve, they started attracting bigger names. Among them was sound engineer and producer Dave Hillis, who had settled in Pittsburgh after a career of working in places like Seattle, Washington; New York, New York; and London, England. During the 1990s in Seattle, Hillis had worked at London Bridge studios, where he recorded grunge acts like Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and Sound Garden. That studio, too, was equipped with a vintage Neve, so when Hillis heard about a studio in Pittsburgh getting one, he was a little taken aback. “I was pretty spoiled be able to find studios that have a Neve or an SSL,” he says. “But when I moved here I couldn’t find one so I figured I wouldn’t be working in Pittsburgh.” Hillis reached out to Bob for a tour and ended up joining the studio. By chance, Hillis had also lugged some of his own equipment back from Seattle, including a Marshall half stack amp that had been used by Dave Navarro and a Studer A800 MK III two-inch, 24-track machine that had been used to record Pearl Jam’s “Ten” album. At the time, the equipment was sitting in Hillis’ garage, so he lent it to the studio. Now, the Studer sits alongside the Neve console in The Vault’s control room. “It’s like they were meant to go together,” says Bob. “So, now we have George Harrison’s board and the 24-track machine used to record Pearl Jam’s ‘Ten.’” The Vault’s outfitting doesn’t stop there. It has multiple isolation booths, one of which is occupied by a Yamaha GC baby grand piano, high-end microphones, vintage Wurlitzer keyboards, guitars and even a few organs. In 2020, they continued the expansion when Rob Deaner of v6 Music + Post joined the team. He now works out of a studio upstairs. Downstairs, they’ve converted the old bank vault into an echo chamber that feeds back up into the main studio. Also downstairs is a stage and performance area. Bob says they utilized it during the fundraiser they held for Rhythm 19 and that it’s also a good warm-up space. Bob says the studio is continuing to attract professionals who have been coming out of the woodwork. “There’s a common theme with a lot of highly credentialed engineers, producers, artists that are actually living in Pittsburgh but you wouldn’t even know they’re living here,” he says. “But they’ve been making their way back. A lot of it is cost of living.” Where things go from here is anyone’s guess, but Bob hopes the studio will continue to be an incubator for talent and drive the music profile of the region. “I think having Smokey here made me realize that a lot of my concept here is similar to the old Motown thing,” he says. “We have a building, we have a label, we’ve got a lot of people walking around. It’s a team of people who are doing all different things. That’s what Motown was. Motown wasn’t just a record label. It was a community of artists, producers, engineers, writers.” He says the studio has become as much that, a community, as anything. “Over the past few years it’s been amazing to watch how that has grown,” he says. “It keeps attracting more people, different people into this group. But it started off with me sitting in this chair.” Bob McCutcheon and his son, Brett (far left), and wife, Dana (far right), are pictured with Smokey Robinson during a fundraiser at The Vault in 2019. PHOTO SUBMITTED BELOW: The studio’s performance space has an excellent vibe, with blue walls, drum sets, a baby grand piano in an isolation booth, high-end microphones and more. BOTTOM: Jimmy Hoyson, the studio’s sound engineer, has used the ledge between the control room and performance space to display his Grammy Awards. PHOTOS BY DOUG HUGHEY Spring 2022 • www.awmagazine.com • 17CAround Your Town Around Your Town The early years H.W. Wickenheiser started the Coraopolis Hardware company in 1888 and ran it in the former building located on the grass lot at Mill Street and Pine Alley. Wickenheiser sold the business to home builder and contractor, Joseph Sweterlitsch, Sr., in 1927. When a fire on Christmas Day in 1945 ripped through the store, the Sweterlitsch family purchased a former used car lot located at 1029 5th Avenue and built an entirely new facility with storage space on the top floor and a storefront on the bottom. The store was reopened at its present day location in October 1946. Coraopolis Hardware president, Bill Sweterlitsch, has fond memories of watching the dynamic between his father and grandfather as they ran the store together for decades. “My grandfather (Joe, Sr.) was a character. He just loved people and was a real ‘schmoozer.’ He spoiled us grandkids and always had change in his pocket for the gumball machine. He drove my dad nuts, who was more of a serious businessman,” Bill recalled. As a 12 year-old boy, Bill remembers his father, Joe, Jr., “dragging” him to the hardware store after dinner to open boxes, paint, and stock shelves. He was paid 25 cents an hour. Those business fundamentals led Bill to pursue a degree in business from Westminster College. Upon graduation, he began his career at Pittsburgh National Bank. The Sweterlitsch siblings - Bill, Deb and Ken - watched as their dad steered the store through many ups and downs, including a drastic drop in the town’s economy, a complete remodel followed by their biggest sales year ever in 1993, and increased competition with the opening of big box stores in nearby Robinson Township. “I have a special place in my heart for the people we have had as customers and friends over the years. Especially those who hung in there through the 70s and 80s as the town struggled economically,” Bill commented. It was the general decline of the Coraopolis Business District that prompted Joe, Jr. to create the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization Coraopolis Economic Revitalization Corporation in the 1970s. The organization’s master plans included building an interactive railroad museum, among other revitalization projects. However, without staff and limited availability from its founders who were busy running their own businesses, the plans became unmanageable and unattainable. The organization eventually phased out operations in 1999 and closed in 2000. The seeds planted by those efforts, though, would inspire and inform future redevelopment work in Coraopolis. Present day “I’ve witnessed a rebirth in the last four years. Town leadership and people like Brian Diggins, Shawn Reed, along with Coraopolis Community Development’s work. [They] are approaching it more holistically than we did. It’s working. Keep going,” Bill said. The current generation of the Sweterlitsch family officially took over the company in 1998 when their father passed away. Bill and Ken became equal partners and Deb joined the team later on. “I liked that I could be my own boss. I’ve always had a little problem with authority,” Bill chuckled. “But Deb’s the real boss. Everyone knows that. She’s got a huge legion of fans.” The fact that Coraopolis Hardware never laid anyone off in the store’s history is a point of pride for the family. At one time, the staff peaked at 20 employees, but more recently has stuck with five which Bill says, “works until somebody gets sick.” Undoubtedly, the sibling’s favorite part of their work is getting to know their customers and their families and being a part of their home improvement projects. “Sure, you can go to Home Depot and pick something up. But you won’t get the personal attention and counsel you get at a store like ours.” Bill continued, “If somebody ever figures out how to give the best price with the best product knowledge, they will put everybody out of business - because you can’t do both. That’s why there will always be a place for people like us.” The family’s favorite season at the store is spring because of all the activity geared toward outdoor projects. April through June have typically been the biggest sales volume months of the year, followed by Christmas as a close second. When spring of 2020 brought the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, the family braced for a challenge. What could have been negative, though, turned into a positive. With so many people working remotely and focused on the home front, the store had their biggest year-to-year sales increase in history. Bill said, “Luckily, we only had to restrict our hours for a month. Then we got very busy. But 2021 couldn’t keep up with the previous year because we couldn’t get anything in due to the supply chain management problems.” A look back at the legacy of Coraopolis Hardware STORY BY CARA MASON, CORAOPOLIS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PHOTOS SUBMITTED FROM TOP: Coraopolis Hardware president Bill Sweterlitsch shares a photo collage from the store’s early years. A news article featuring the Sweterlitsch family as brothers, Bill and Ken, were being brought into the business by their father, Joe, Jr. Ken, Deb and Bill are pictured behind the counter - a friendly and familiar sight that Coraopolis locals will miss. 18 • Allegheny West Magazine • Spring 2022lLegislative Update Legislative Update State Rep. Anita Kulik One of my favorite things to do is start a new calendar. This is also one of my least favorite things to do. I am old school and still buy a new calendar every December - an old-fashioned paper appointment type of calendar. I need to have something in front me that is bigger than my cell phone, something that lets me look at a whole week at a time. The happy part about starting a new calendar is knowing there is a whole new year ahead to fill with fresh ideas and purpose. There is also a feeling of knowing there is a whole new year to plow through. I am looking forward to 2022 because there were so many hurdles we jumped over the past two years. I am looking forward to another fulfilling year representing the many wonderful and diverse communities in my district. With that being said, I also know that I may not have the privilege of representing some of these communities. As I write this article, reapportionment is on the horizon. I know that there is a strong likelihood that the 45th District will look much different. Of course, all state representatives are also facing an election cycle. This will be an interesting year in government. The State House will begin the year discussing budgetary issues and debate bills that were started at the end of last year. Some of the issues left from last year concern the environment, liquor control and jobs. There will be ample discussion over the spending of the federal dollars received to help promote economic relief from the pandemic. There were times that 2021 was not a particularly productive year for the state legislature. Too many niche issues were brought to the Chamber Floors that did not address issues facing all Pennsylvanians, but instead were designed only for limited purposes. However, we did see good bills pass, many that had solid bi-partisan support. On the last day of session of 2021, the House and Senate passed House Bill 2071 that establishes the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority. This bill, through the help of federal dollars, will ensure that all Pennsylvanians have access to the Internet. Whether in rural or suburban areas, broadband access is essential to families, students and businesses. Today, access to the Internet is essential. It should not matter where you live or work. In order to effectively keep Pennsylvanians and the state’s economy growing, access to broadband Internet for all is a must. This bill has been in the making for a long time and it is a great accomplishment of the Legislature to bring it to the finish line. Working together in a bi-partisan way can accomplish great things. As I mentioned, this will also be a most interesting election year. Redistricting will take place. Congressional, State House and Senate, and County Council seats will all be changed around. Being a mid- term year, Congressional and a Federal Senate seat are in the mix. There is also a Governor’s race this year as well as Lieutenant Governor, State House, and State Senate races. There will be a lot of changes this year as we move toward 2023. I sincerely believe that this year will be a good year, though. While we have moved past what has probably been the most difficult time most of us have witnessed, there will be tough times to face this year, too. However, we will persevere and handle whatever we face, because that is what the people in our area do best. I will continue the fight against the unfair tolling of the I-79 bridge. I will continue to address issues of domestic violence, proper school funding, small business growth and working to keep our communities strong. Please continue to reach out to me and my staff on any issues that concern you. As always, I thank you for the privilege of representing you in Harrisburg. This story was originally written for “Friends of 15108: a newsletter of the Coroapolis CDC.” Sign up to receive it via email at coraopolisfoundation.org. Now, in 2022, the decision to close the store was not easy, but Bill said they all agree that, “it’s just time.” “My knees are giving out, Ken’s on his second replacement, Deb’s hobbling. We’re a bunch of old people!” he laughed. Bill looks towards retirement with excitement for the next chapter to come. Big goals include playing more golf, traveling more, and finishing his basement. He also looks forward to spending more time with his two sons and two grandchildren. As he watches the influx of new businesses in town, he offers the following advice to the Coraopolis small business community: “Talk to your fellow business owners and share ideas. And get to know your customers on a personal level.” The next chapter DIY build hacker Kelly Ulm has over 25,000 followers on Instagram and his how-to videos garner thousands of views online. He hopes to generate that same excitement for handcrafted woodworking as he takes over the Coraopolis Hardware building, located at 1029 5th Avenue. Ulm and his wife, Tammy, are the owners of Eagle Home Inspections. In addition to being an entrepreneur, Kelly is a master woodworker and epoxy enthusiast, a Navy veteran, and a social media connoisseur. He was recently named a content partner of MAS Epoxies based out of Minnesota. His handywork can be found right around the corner at the newly opened Snappy’s Taphouse, located at 415 Mill Street. Ulm crafted the business’ one-of-a-kind bar top along with handcrafted cutting boards and serving trays that Snappy’s offers for sale. The Ulms have already begun the first phase of their project: renovating the upstairs of the building into a 2,500 square-foot loft apartment where they will live full time. The recent “empty nesters” are preparing to sell their family home in Elizabeth. Once the upstairs is complete, the focus will shift downstairs, which will be transformed into a workshop storefront that holds training sessions, classes and DIY group project events. “We couldn’t be more excited to be here. There is so much happening in Coraopolis and we look forward to joining the community!” Kelly said. Spring 2022 • www.awmagazine.com • 19Next >