Since I moved to Bloomfield in February, 2005, it has been my favorite Pittsburgh neighborhood. I originally moved into a two-bedroom Lobos Management apartment on Edmond Street. The apartment itself was nice – it had off-street parking, a dishwasher, and a balcony, but the location was awesome. As a graduate student at Pitt, I enjoyed the thirty minute walk to campus. When I got lazy or sick, or if the weather was too terrible, I would catch the 54 Bus Route. As a vegan with “goofy” dietary restrictions, I enjoyed being close to the Quiet Storm and Thai Cuisine Restaurant – two of the better reviewed, vegan-friendly restaurants in the East End. To stock up on more substantial groceries, it was a quick and easy trip (by car, bike, or foot) to the Whole Foods Market or Strip District for produce shopping.
Although the location is what originally hooked me for the Edmond Street Apartments, I quickly became enamored with the neighborhood itself. Since I grew up in a small town, the close-knit community vibe that Bloomfield provided really appealed to me. Unlike the more transient neighborhoods in Pittsburgh’s East End, many of the people here were homeowners whose families had lived here for a few generations. In spite of this, the neighborhood has never felt too old or ornery because there has also been an influx of young renters. There are weird, idiosyncratic stores and services that presumably cater to the older residents – like vacuum repair and vintage tuxedo shops, but there are also cool offerings for younger people with varied interests – an anarchist bookstore, a few live music venues, coffee shops, and one of the best record shops in the city. I have since moved from the Lobos Management apartment and out of the Bloomfield neighborhood entirely. I now reside a few blocks away in Friendship. Although I still have great access to lots of Pittsburgh culture, I find myself missing the strong sense of community I experienced in Bloomfield.
Although the location is what originally hooked me for the Edmond Street Apartments, I quickly became enamored with the neighborhood itself. Since I grew up in a small town, the close-knit community vibe that Bloomfield provided really appealed to me. Unlike the more transient neighborhoods in Pittsburgh’s East End, many of the people here were homeowners whose families had lived here for a few generations. In spite of this, the neighborhood has never felt too old or ornery because there has also been an influx of young renters. There are weird, idiosyncratic stores and services that presumably cater to the older residents – like vacuum repair and vintage tuxedo shops, but there are also cool offerings for younger people with varied interests – an anarchist bookstore, a few live music venues, coffee shops, and one of the best record shops in the city. I have since moved from the Lobos Management apartment and out of the Bloomfield neighborhood entirely. I now reside a few blocks away in Friendship. Although I still have great access to lots of Pittsburgh culture, I find myself missing the strong sense of community I experienced in Bloomfield.
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