'A Really Comfortable Place': New Primanti Bros. Open For Business

The story of Primanti Bros. goes back to the 1930s, when Joe Primanti started pushing a cart around Pittsburgh's Strip District to sell sandwiches.

Around the same time, construction started on a building in Mt. Lebanon, near the Upper St. Clair line, that later served as home to a realty company.

After nearly 80 years, the sandwiches have met the building, which is home to the latest Primanti Bros. restaurant.

"All the original woodwork is still here," director of operations Marc Teklinski said as he took a break Thursday afternoon, the day after the new location opened. "It's got great character, and I think our guests are finding it a really comfortable place to eat and drink."

Plenty of people still were doing that after Thursday's lunch rush. With the temperature surpassing 90, though, everyone was opting for the air conditioning inside, instead of the outdoor patio.

That's bound to change as more customers come to check out Primanti Bros.'s 10th suburban location, at 1539 Washington Road, most recently the site of a Coldwell Banker office.

Renovations proceeded quickly once the restaurant company received the green light for the new digs.

"We've been opening one restaurant a year," said Teklinski, an Upper St. Clair resident. "So we're getting some practice at it."

For decades, Primanti fans have been able to get their fries-and-slaw fix at the original venue in the Strip. But lately, they've gotten used to the famed sandwiches coming closer to them.

"We get calls every day: When are you going to open one up here? When are you going to open one there?" Teklinski said. "The people of Pittsburgh have been fantastic."