PITTSBURGH — Some areas saw people taking advantage of the bright sunshine and warmer temperatures as Allegheny County moved into the yellow phase at midnight.
“People that have been back are so gracious,” said Jimmy Coen, with Yinzers in the Strip District.
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Most people were wearing masks in Strip. Some stores, like Yinzers, were handing them out to shoppers who didn’t have one. The Pennsylvania Macaroni Company was asking customers to wear gloves.
The manager at Allegheny coffee and tea exchange told Channel 11 being in the yellow meant he could finally open his doors. Customers were greeted with a smile and a plexiglass window
Across the river, however, it was a different story. Downtown was mostly silent, the way it’s been since Gov. Wolf’s stay at home order was issued in March. The usual crowded sidewalks and bustling office lobbies were nearly empty.
The number of cars and people noticeably increased around the city, but it was far from a normal Friday.
“Actually, I think there’s more traffic than what I expected,” Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said. “There’s still some limited businesses but I think as we move into next week more and more businesses will open up.”
He urged people returning to the city to continue wearing masks and practice social distancing.
Hissrich said the city is considering closing down streets and sidewalks to allow for safe recreation and business activities.
“I come in periodically to handle some things in our office. Mail, payroll, things like that,” Patti Monahan said.
Monahan works in the Grant Building. She said she’s starting to see a slow rise of people coming back into the city.
“I have noticed more activity in town. There are definitely more people walking around, more people in our building popping in,” she said.
The majority of stores downtown were still closed up except for the DTLR sneaker store on Wood Street. Dozens were waiting outside.
People Channel 11 talked said they expect more people to show up starting Monday.
A barbershop on Forbes Avenue was also open and cutting people’s hair Friday, clearly in violation of the governor’s orders. A man identifying himself as the owner was not happy when Channel 11 showed up to ask why the business was open.
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