After being open less than a year, Spork Pit Barbecue has closed.
The idea was to transform the former Double Wide Grill on Pittsburgh’s South Side into a new dining concept of ribs and wings, pulled pork and brisket as well as retain some vegan and vegetarian dishes the Double Wide Grill was known for, co-owner Steve Zumoff told TribLive last year.
“The space needed a change,” said Zumoff, who partnered with Andy Tepper, owner of Spork Pittsburgh and the former Spork Pit in Garfield on the venture.
Zumoff said Tuesday that he and Tepper realized they had to remodel the space so that it would not look like the Double Wide Grill, which was there for 18 years following its conversion from a former gas station and garage.
“People were coming and saying they didn’t realize the Double Wide Grill had closed,” said Zumoff.
Tepper and Zumoff designed a renovation, which needed additional City of Pittsburgh permitting to remodel the space and get it up to code from when it was last updated years ago. The refresh also included notifying the City of Pittsburgh Historic Review Commission for the East Carson Street Historic District which spans from South Sixth Street to South 27th streets. It looks at “the appropriateness of proposed alterations in the historic district as well as any building rehabilitation, exterior painting, altering the existing storefront, new signage or construction or additions,” according to the South Side Community website.
The time it was going to take to get everything approved would have taken a few months, Zumoff said.
“Barbecue season is the summer months,” Zumoff said. “People don’t often think about barbecue much in the fall and winter.”
The owners decided to close the restaurant, sell the business and lease the space on the corner of East Carson Street and 24th Street.
Zumoff, who owns the Tiki Lounge on the South Side, said if someone has an established food and bar concept or might be thinking of opening a second location, this is a great piece of property.
He and Tepper are exploring other spaces to open a Polynesian-style restaurant somewhere in the city.
Zumoff co-owns the building with one partner and co-owns the business with Tepper. Zumoff said he reached out to David Glickman to be the listing agent for the location.
Glickman, president of Pittsburgh-based Keystone Real Estate Advisors, said he is working to lease the space and procure a new tenant.
“It is a turnkey bar and restaurant,” Glickman said. “The corner location makes it more valuable. It has a large patio and the space is iconic because it has been there for a while.”
Glickman said being not far from several universities – Pitt, Carnegie Mellon, Carlow, Duquesne and Chatham — and close to the SouthSide Works, office buildings across the river and residential areas make it prime real estate.
“It is part of a live, work, play, shop and dine neighborhood,” Glickman said. “And you don’t need a car. This location is an exciting one.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region’s diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of “A Daughter’s Promise.” She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.