Bethel Park Business Blog
The Bethel Park Business blog is a monthly series that features local businesses that support the community in Bethel Park. If you are a Bethel Park business and would like to be considered for a future profile, please e-mail kindness@bethelpark.net with your business name, phone number, and a sentence or two about your business, and we’ll be in touch!
For this month’s Bethel Park Business Blog, we compiled a list of restaurants and organizations offering fish fries and seafood offerings in the area! We’ve noted some menu items below; however, for full menu information, dining options, ordering information and more, please visit the website listed or call the phone number. If you know of another restaurant or organization that should be included on the list, please email kindness@bethelpark.net . Thanks, and happy dining! Al’s Café 435 McMurray Rd., Bethel Park 412-833-4099 * www.alscafepgh.com They’re running specials throughout Lent each day after 4 p.m. including shrimp tacos, lobster mac and cheese, and a jumbo fish sandwich. Take Out/Dine In
Beginning Monday, Dec. 18, Thompson Electric will begin work for directional boring, running conduit and underground electric starting on Dalmatian Drive from Beagle Drive to Kings School Road, and Kings School Road to Grouse Run Road with about the first 100 ft. on Grouse Run Road and Boxer Drive to tie into existing junction boxes. Work will be behind the curb line and should not affect the pavement. Flaggers will be onsite to assist with traffic as one lane will be restricted for equipment and crew safety. Works is anticipated to last through February 2024. Thanks for your kind attention and please share this post to help spread the word!
PS Wood Machines Owner Barbara Peters never dreamt that her interest in a wood crafting machine would lead to a thriving business and result in her breaking ground in the primarily male woodworking industry. “I bought a scroll saw (a crafting machine) and took classes so that I could get a better understanding of it,” said Peters. “I got to know one of the salesmen who led some of the classes and one day at class he told me that the manufacturer of the saw I was using was going to discontinue making them. So, he wanted to know if I’d be interested in going into business with him to take over production of scroll saws.” Peters agreed and took over the management end of the business while her partner traveled to trade shows demonstrating and selling their product. After five years, her partner moved on and she had to undertake the job of going on the road to demo and sell the saws. “I had to pull up my bootstraps and keep moving forward because I was left with a lot of debt and needed to make sure that our business thrived for the sake of my family,” said Peters, who then traveled the country doing trade shows demonstrating and selling her products for over 20 years. “I was extremely nervous at first, I didn’t want to let my family down. My kids were aged 16 and 14 at the time and my husband held down the fort at home while I was on the road. All of this scared me to no end because I didn’t want to lose the money I invested, so I pushed myself to listen, learn and put one foot in front of the other and tried to not look back.” Peters would travel Thursdays – Sundays from fall to spring. “It didn’t matter what the weather was, I had to be set up for the trade shows and be ready to go. I would drive to shows anywhere east of the Mississippi and fly to those west of the Mississippi. Whether driving or flying, the weather was a worry for me each week. And I hired people around the country to help me set up, so making arrangements with them was also part of the equation. I’d talk to about 1,000 people at the show and Sunday night I’d pack up, travel home, and get ready to go on the road again Thursday.” She continued this schedule for years until shortly after turning 60. Now 73, Peters said those years enabled her to step away and reap the benefits. “I probably worked 36 – 40 shows a year and sometimes we had two per weekend requiring more personnel,” said Peters. “I do miss my customers…but it was long days, hard work and I was tired at night, But I did make a lot of friends around the country and still keep in touch with them.” In the early days, women would walk up to her booth and be surprised that she was the one demonstrating woodworking. “I was one of the few women in the industry when it started; now that’s changed and I’d like to think that I had a hand in that showing women that they can do woodworking too,” she said.
Whispering Souls Paranormal Investigations (WSPI) is a team of experienced paranormal investigators who create a calm, comfortable and enjoyable environment for their customers while giving them a memorable one-on-one experience. Upcoming events include an investigation at the Bethel Park Schoolhouse Arts & History Center and a free “Ghost Hunting 101: Haunted Teachings” class at the Bethel Park Public Library. WSPI offers investigations and educational sessions at a number of locations throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. Pennsylvania spots include Castle Blood in Monessen; the Bethel Park Schoolhouse Arts & History Center; Hill View Manor in New Castle; Old Economy Village in Ambridge; the Samuel Miller Mansion in Columbia; the Grand Midway Hotel in Windber; the Bethel Park Public Library; and the Jefferson Hills Library. WSPI Owner Patty Henderson said that many individuals come to the events to learn more about the history of these historical sites that they investigate. “We like to create an intimate setting at our events,” she said. “Our customers investigate an entire location that we divide into sections. We have two of our staff investigators in each section with our equipment staged for the guests to use. When a group enters a specific area, they fully investigate it with or without the help of our staff, discuss their findings with us and then they move through to a different area of the location only by their choice.” Local guests as well as those as far away as Texas and Canada have joined in on their investigations!
The Bethel Park Chamber , serving the communities of Bethel Park, Castle Shannon and South Park, has a mission to provide the local business community with education, information, networking, partnerships, create opportunities to flourish, and promote a vibrant place to live, work and play. BACKGROUND The Bethel Park Chamber began in the 1950s and ran for 25 years; then according to Chamber Executive Director Connie Ruhl , it merged with the South Hills Chamber. However, in 2014, Ruhl re-started the Bethel Park Chamber once again with a group of local businesses. “I was working for the South Hills Chamber at the time and while researching local chambers, I saw that the Bethel Park Chamber’s paperwork had become dormant,” said Ruhl. “I contacted the state and was told that the paperwork needed to be filed soon or the Bethel Park Chamber would permanently be defunct. So, I filed it before it expired and that’s how I started it up again…the timing worked out perfectly!” Ruhl left her position at the South Hills Chamber and took the helm of the Bethel Park Chamber with the support of Brookside Lumber, Virgili Beer Distributors, Comcast, Evey True Value Hardware, Allen’s Dairy Queen, Henney Funeral Home, Bethel Bakery, and WalMart. “These businesses formed the first revamped Bethel Park Chamber Board, and we went from there,” said Ruhl. “They also donated thousands of dollars of equipment, furnishings and Reno Virgili even donated six months of free office space rent to help us get going.” Today, the Chamber has over 125 businesses and continues to grow. Ruhl brings a wealth of experience to the Chamber. She’s a former vice president of Mellon Bank where she also served as the director of operational training, was director of education for the Greater Airport Area Chamber, executive director for the Hispanic Chamber, and executive director for the South Hills Chamber. She’s assisted by Business Manager Linda Rusch who primarily handles Chamber memberships and invoicing. Rusch has 30 years of experience as a bookkeeper and customer service rep for Brookside Lumber and also worked in administration for Tri-Community South EMS for a few years. “I love this community and firmly believe in promoting and supporting businesses,” said Ruhl. “And, while I bring a lot of experience with me, we could really use more staff to implement many more projects that we’d like to do in the future. We’re always looking for volunteers who’d like to help us!”
This month, our local business profile is on Rita’s Italian Ice! Read on to learn more about Jeff Navarro and his parents, Ray and Kathy , who own this Bethel Park staple! New at your Bethel Park Rita’s! Newest flavor – Gummy Bear Ice (gummy bear flavored ice filled with mini gummy bears). A new Coffee Beverage Line! Slated to being mid-April, the line will feature cold brewed coffee drinks similar to a Misto Shake consistency. We heard that everyone who’s tried them said that they’re delicious! A re-focus on Rita’s classics offering variations of the flavors you love the most so that you can simply select and order delicious desserts such as the Mudslide consisting of vanilla custard, peanut butter sauce and Reese’s peanut butter cups blended and stuffed with hot fudge in the middle! And, of course, freshly made ice flavors that change daily . Did you know that mango is the #1 seller and most popular flavor?! There’s also one daily sugar-free ice option plus four different flavors of custard each day (twists too such as black raspberry and banana). Custard flavors change monthly with vanilla and chocolate always on the menu. And, of course, freshly made ice flavors that change daily . Did you know that mango is the #1 seller and most popular flavor?! There’s also one daily sugar-free ice option plus four different flavors of custard each day (twists too such as black raspberry and banana). Custard flavors change monthly with vanilla and chocolate always on the menu. BACKGROUND Having lived and grown up in Bethel Park, Jeff Navarro and his parents Ray and Kathy , often drove by Rita’s Ice in Bethel Park and thought that it would be a good business to own. “One day it went up for sale and my parents and I talked it over and after some thought, decided to buy it,” said Jeff. “We started the purchasing process in 2009 and took ownership in 2011. That was our first season and coincidentally, it was also the year that I got married! So, that was an extremely hectic year for sure!” According to Jeff, the first season was a whirlwind. “It involved a lot of learning such as going through Rita’s training process along with a lot of learning as you go,” he said. “That year, I didn’t have one day off except for Easter, but it was a successful season and when it was over, we all took a needed deep breath.” Rita’s is now mandated to open March 1 and must stay open through a prescribed Rita’s closure date. “But, we can stay open longer and we often do depending on the weather,” said Jeff. “Last year, we stayed open through mid-November, but as you get further into the fall, people get colder and don’t want ice as much, so we know when it’s time to shut for the season.” Jeff has put his culinary and management background to good use over the years at his store. “I went to the PA Culinary Institute for Culinary Arts and from there worked at a private club. I then went to Robert Morris University for Hospitality Management and over the following years was a manager for several restaurants including Bob Evans, Max & Erma’s and Buffalo Wild Wings. So, that experience has been extremely helpful. And, it’s so nice to now have both Thanksgiving and Christmas off! Before we owned Rita’s, I hadn’t had those holidays off for 10 years!” Ray and Kathy Navarro also work at the store with Jeff running a lot of the day-to-day operations. Jeff’s wife, Elise , and 7-year-old daughter Natalya also jump in where needed with Natalya saying her best job is being the official taste tester!