CARNEGIE, Pa. — The past few weeks for Joe Riley — one of the owners of Riley’s Pour House — have been tough.
“It’s only been 24 days, but it feels like it’s been a lot longer,” Riley told Channel 11′s Andrew Havranek.
Riley’s Pour House, a staple in the Carnegie community, was reduced to rubble after a fire tore through the bar last month.
PHOTOS: Flames rip through restaurant in Carnegie
“Tonight’s the first time I’ve seen some of the employees since then and that’s tough, because I’m used to seeing them on a daily basis,” Riley said. “It feels odd that these guys don’t have a place to go to work and I don’t have a place to go, and the community doesn’t have a place to gather.”
On Saturday, hundreds of people made their way to the Carnegie Eagles Club to help those employees who are currently out of work.
“We have a sentimental connection to the pour house, so we were so excited to be able to come down and help out and just be with all of these wonderful people,” said Brigid Graham of Mt. Lebanon.
“We have a sentimental connection to the pour house, so we were so excited to be able to come down and help out and just be with all of these wonderful people,” said Brigid Graham of Mt. Lebanon.
Graham said her dad, Mike Connolly, often played banjo and guitar and played Irish songs at the pour house for about eight years. When they found out it caught fire and was destroyed last month, they were heartbroken.
“I was devastated,” Connolly said. “I went down a few days later and took pictures.”
They knew they couldn’t miss the opportunity to try and help.
The fundraising event was put together by Ryan Busch, the president of the Carnegie Eagles Club, who was also a bouncer at Riley’s Pour house.
He said he wanted to do anything he could to help the Riley family out.
“In 2022, I was in a near-fatal car accident. When Riley’s heard about me being in financial trouble, they held a benefit for me that kept a roof over my head,” Busch said. “So in their time of need, I just want to pay it forward and pay it back.”
In just the first four hours of the fundraiser, more than $29,000 were raised, and all of the proceeds from the spaghetti dinner, silent auction, basket raffle, and 50/50 drawing will go directly to the employees to help them with some expenses just before the holidays.
“I’ve always known Carnegie was a great community and the surrounding areas, but this is overwhelming,” Riley said.
Riley’s Pour House is expected to be rebuilt, but right now there is no timeframe on when that will happen.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW