East End businesses create Pittsburgh survival kits of beer, coffee and more

Survival is a word that packs a lot of meaning in these covid-addled times. That notion is behind an initiative involving five small businesses in Pittsburgh’s East End: the East Enders’ “Survival Kits.”

East End Brewing, Prohibition Pastries, Commonplace Coffee, Kelly’s Bar & Lounge and Barmy Soda Co. are providing different items each week for the kits, which are being rolled out starting Sept. 16 as part of a six-week subscription package. The hope is that these subscriptions will help provide a vital revenue stream to local businesses when they need it most.

The items include beer, coffee, pies, fizzy beverages and even Kelly’s iconic mac ‘n cheese with the charred top. They’ll be available for pickup, at East End Brewing in Larimer, on a weekly basis. The selections from each producer vary from week to week, based on the season and the demand.

“We were inspired by the model of weekly farm box subscriptions for CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture). But instead of produce, the Survival Kits will be filled with baked goods, craft beer, fresh roasted coffee beans, soda pop, and more,” said Eliza Bowman of Prohibition Pastries.

Organizer Scott Smith of East End Brewing said there is a surprise element to the Survival Kits.

“We’re going to try and keep it interesting and mix it up and make sure that there is something for everybody,” he said. “We can actually mix up a four-pack and give you four different beers if you want to try a variety of things. The baked goods are going to vary each time.”

The organizers hope the Survival Kit will appeal to local consumers looking for something different during the monotony of the pandemic. But the idea is also part of a plan to help these small, local businesses in perilous economic times.

“These businesses are small operators and they’ve really seen a drop in revenue because of all this,” said Smith. “We’re fortunate that we still have a decent sales channel with all the packaged beer that we do. But our brew pub is closed and our food partners have called it quits, so this is reality.” Larder, a casual restaurant that opened last year within East End Brewing, announced its closing last month.

Depending on how enthusiastic the response from customers is, Smith said there will be subsequent subscription blocks and possibly home delivery of the items. But for now the kits will be available for curbside pickup at East End Brewing every Wednesday starting on Sept. 16.

“We’re having pickup at our home base because we have a regular curbside mechanism already in place that makes it easy so that you can get one-stop shopping,” said Smith. “We’re starting to see these small businesses call it quits left and right, so this is survival. We’re trying to get as creative as we can and band together and create something that is greater than the sum of the parts.”

The East Enders’ Survival Kit subscriptions are available at eastendbrewing.square.site. The cost is $450.