【37】A shallow glimpse of the rich CBD @ Downtown

Several random pictures that were taken while walking pass downtown wouldn’t be nearly sufficient to tell you my experience at Downtown Pittsburgh. In part, it’s because I haven’t had that many chances to stay in its proximity on a daily and regular base, more importantly It’s because I am just not here long enough to tell anything about downtown that you haven’t heard of that’s significant. It’s the culture, and economic center of the city. People like to be at the center and they often have good eyes too. Dare I not to shallow the rich CBD of Pittsburgh.

Should you have watched the WQED film made by Rick Sebak, you shall have had a taste of all those grand and intriguing stories behind those magnificent buildings from the old time. If you are following Mr. Bill Flanagan on his TV program Our Region’s Business as well as Allegheny Conference on Community Development (ACCD)’s newsletter, you shall also know how vibrantly Pittsburgh has been doing even during the most difficult economic depression that started back in 2007. Whether or not, you are a fan of Great Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership, you just know many nonprofits, foundations, and government agencies in those office buildings are making good decisions for our city everyday. You know, because you believe. You believe, because you want to believe.

I am a believer of Pittsburgh. I know I will write more posts on this rich topic as I accumulate new experiences in those splendid downtown facilities. So, “Meet me under the Kaufmann’s Clock” and let’s begin the forthcoming downtown experience!

Beer winning trivia @ Kaufmann's Clock, Downtown

1. Kaufmann's was founded in Pittsburgh in 1871 by Jacob and Isaac Kaufmann as a small  South Side men's store.  In 1877, the brothers moved downtown to a location that became known as The Big Store.  In the first half of the 20th century, the store was owned by Edgar J. Kaufmann. Kaufmann's flagship "The Big Store" has had a large landmark outdoor clock on the corner of Fifth Avenue at Smithfield Street since the buildings construction. The original clock which was installed in 1887 was a large free standing four faced clock. It immediately became a popular downtown meeting place, with the often-used phrase "Meet me under Kaufmann's clock."

With the expansion of the store in 1913, the current clock was installed. The clock is a Pittsburgh icon, and is often featured in visual materials representing and marketing the city. Both the Kaufmann's flagship building and the clock are designated as Pittsburgh Historical Landmarks.  Upon announcing the 2006 retirement of the Kaufmann's name and the downtown store being rebranded as Macy's, the store gave out tote bags printed with the Clock's image and its phrase "Meet me under the Kaufmann's clock" to honor the store's 135-year history. Also in 2006, USA Today ran an article about the regional chains being merged into Macy's, and the piece featured memories from Pittsburghers about the store and the clock.

In 2013 the Kaufmann's Clock celebrated its 100th Anniversary, to celebrate Macy's redecorated the store's windows along Smithfield Street with photos of the iconic clock from over the years, one held the results of a contest held by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in which readers submitted their best memories of "Meeting Under Kaufmann's Clock". Macy's also held a weekend of festivities including a block party on Smithfield Street in front of the store.


My current mentor and colleague Mr. Michael Matesic actually had two anecdotes about the clock as well. His parents' second date was started from Meeting each other Under the Kaufmann's Clock. His wife's story about feeling the babe due while she was under the clock and giving birth to their daughter in the proximity of the Clock was captured in an article titled "Their Last Christmas"by Wall Street Journal in 2005 during the memorial event held that Christmas for the Kaufmman's was purchased by Macy's. Mike was kinda "resentful" about the fact that he hasn't been reported by Wall Street Journal as a seasoned businessman, yet his beloved wife, who is not a businesswoman, got her name and interesting story printed on Wall Street Journal and was circulated all over the global. Interesting, isn't it? Life has its own way of plotting an intriguing episode at each step we take. For this, I am hopeful and motivated to see more about our City, and to explore more about my life here in this wonderful place and well beyond. :)

Your ID @ Downtown

1. What are those notable architectures you can ID in those pictures above ?