POPPING UP ON WASHINGTON Mother-daughter team Barb and Kelly Joyce are running a pop-up boutique, Starry Blues, at 704 Washington Road. The boutique will be in business until the end of the year.
The pair plan on selling clothing, candles, jewelry, hair accessories and possibly journals. Also on hand will be selections from locally owned Nicholas Coffee and Applelicious Chocolates.
The inventory is fluid, with new items drifting in as the current stock sells out.
“We didn’t want a lot of space,” Barb says. “Big space means big inventory. We’re always turning over stuff, so come back often.”
The shelves will contain a lot of pre-wrapped items, for picking up a quick host gift on your way to a holiday party.
Kelly, whose day job is in sales, takes the evening and weekend shifts while Barb, who works part-time for a corporate branding and apparel company, has the flexibility to run the shop on weekdays.
“The pop-up lets us experience the business on a short-term basis, see if we like it, and also to take advantage of this vibrant business district,” Barb says. Follow on Instagram @starryblues19.
TAKEOUT TACOS Bull River Taco Co., with spots in Squirrel Hill, Baldwin and Toronto, Ohio, is opening its newest location at 698 Washington Road, in the space of the former Redwood Café. Franchise owner John Frankovitch, whose brother, Mark, founded Bull River, is looking forward to the challenges of being his own boss.
A 2018 graduate of Washington & Jefferson College with a degree in accounting, John worked for a year at PricewaterhouseCooper before the franchise opportunity came along.
“I wanted to work for myself. I like the idea of putting work into something and making it my own.”
The new space will have stand-up tables but no seating.
“It’s grab and go,” John says. Hours are still flexible, but are tentatively planned to be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.