Orr's Jewelers leaving Squirrel Hill for Strip District bustle
Orr’s Jewelers is closing its Squirrel Hill store after more than two decades and opening a new one in the Strip District to capitalize on the neighborhood’s rapid redevelopment.
The 10,000 square-foot Strip District shop will open by the end of the year in a converted warehouse on the 1600 block of Smallman Street, next to Argentine restaurant Balvanera.
It’s part of the Strip District Terminal, across from the five-block former produce distribution hub that serves as the development’s flagship property.
“I think we’re just seeing the growth in the Strip District, the people moving in, the housing being built, the businesses opening there, and we’re just excited to be a part of that,” said Aliza Gordon, a third-generation Orr’s co-owner along with her sister, Leslie.
The neighborhood has swelled from about 700 residents to 3,200 in the last decade, according to a report from community group Strip District Neighbors.
Since 2022, annual visits have risen to 8.6 million from 7 million.
Strip District Neighbors did not immediately return a request for comment.
Meanwhile, Orr’s has seen foot traffic slightly decline in Squirrel Hill, where the family-owned business has held a Forbes Avenue storefront for more than 20 years.
“Things have definitely changed since we’ve been here,” Aliza Gordon told TribLive Tuesday.
Orr’s is running deep discounts on about half its Squirrel Hill selection to help refresh its inventory ahead of the move. The jeweler owns the property, and will assess what to do with it once it’s empty.
Aliza Gordon said she’s sticking with many of the same brands in the Strip District shop. Several watch brands, including Breitling, Omega and Panerai, will have their own dedicated sections.
The new store will be about 4,000 square feet larger and bring a “chic, industrial feel” without losing a sense of luxury, in the words of Aliza Gordon.
The jeweler’s other location, in Sewickley, won’t be impacted by the move.
Orr’s has about 30 workers between the two stores.
Jack Troy is a TribLive reporter covering business and health care. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in January 2024 after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh. He can be reached at
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