Chiodo's in Pittsburgh to be demolished!!!

Chiodo's Tavern, home of the mystery meat sandwich in historic Homestead Pa, (which the Sterns reviewed for Roadfood.com) may be sold and demolished so the world can have yet another Walgreens drugstore. No more mystery meat sandwiches in a classic steelworker bar!!!

Say it ain't so, Joe!!

see www.post-gazette.com/pg/04204/349938.stm for the sad story!!!

It is getting late in the game if you want to visit Chiodo's...truely a Pittsburgh landmark. The local governing boards gave an OK to knock down a part of history. If you want to know about labor history, much of it was conducted at Chiodo's over a cold beer and a mystery meat sandwich.

Art Rooney used to sell tickets to the Steeler games at Forbes Field at a back table on the Saturday nights the day before a home game. Pro football never sold out in the 1940s or 1950s.

See www.post-gazette.com/pg/04218/357060.stm for the update.

I don't blame Joe for selling his property, but I, as a former steelworker, and the son and grandson of steel workers will never shop at Walgreens or that piece of fastfood $(&!^&@# Subway for destroying this piece of Pittsburgh history.

Tis sad, but can't blame the feller for wanting to retire. I know some of the Chiodo offspring, so I'll nose around and see what's up

In the other great roodfood book, "The Best Places to Eat in America" (subtitled 50 Food Writers Pick the Don't Miss Restaurants in 50 Cities in the U.S. and Canada, published in 1987 but available used on Amazon) Chiodo is the first restaurant mentioned in the Pittsburgh chapter.

Phil B.

That's absolutely tragic. What a shame. While living in Pittsburgh, I met Joe back in 97, he was 79 then, my friends and I were absolutely amazed that he owned the place for 50 years and was still working there.

Well, I said it before and I'll say it again, eventually all we'll have left are McDonalds and Applebees.

Our family always walked in Chiodo's through the back kitchen as we lived on the same street with Joe Chiodo's brother.

Here is the latest news on the closing:

www.post-gazette.com/pg/04224/359583.stm


There still is time for Roadfooders to make a pilgrimmage to Chiodos for one last mystery meat sandwich!!!

It's too bad that the people of Homestead, knowing this was going to happen, did not get their act together and buy the bar from Mr. Chiodo.
This is a true shame. Another historic building biting the dust.

Here is another story from the Post Gazette that tells about the local flavor that only Chiodo's Bar could provide. Of particular note is the number of women's undergarments that are hanging from the ceiling. The Sterns mentioned them on their Roadfood review of Chiodo's, much to the delight of patrons.


See www.post-gazette.com/pg/04224/359584.stm for the true story. I am not making this up!!

My first job out of college was a seven-month stint in 1960 as a reporter for the long-defunct Homestead Daily Messenger. My apartment at that time was about two blocks from the newspaper and barely more than a short block from Chiodo's, which was then -- and still is -- by far the best of the local watering holes.

During the intervening 45 years, I've stopped by Chiodo's at least a half-dozen times annually, although most of the time I've lived from eight to 20 miles away.

About 30 years ago, my late younger brother, then a Ph.D. medical researcher, gave Joe a large glass jar containing a pickled calf emrbyo to add to his melange of bar curios. The jar remained on a shelf behind the bar for several weeks until a couple of customers complained to Joe that the pickled calf embryo was spoiling their appetites.

Joe never did tell me what he did with the jar and its contents, but I recall that the jar disappeared about the time that Joe introduced his famous Mystery Sandwich. (Just a coincidence, folks!)

As much as I regret seeing his tavern pass into history, Joe has long deserved retirement. It's time for him to kick back in a reclier for long periods of pure relaxation -- not a a means of relieving gout attacks that have plagued him for several years.

Happy retirement, Joe!

Great story, GeoNit....I see something new each time I go into that place, even if it is only 24 hours between visits.

I remember lots of tales since I have been going there for 40+ years myself....Joe would feed us little ones maraschino cherries while my grandpa and father would drink "depth charges" to clear their throats after a long day (or week) in the mills. We played alot on the shuffle board table and would "hustle" some of the patrons there.

I thought that the Sterns would honor Joe and his bar by featuring them in the restaurant of the day the past few days, but alas, it hasn't happened.

So here is their link to their review of Chiodos, along with a picture of the mystery meat sandwich, and the interesting items hanging from the ceilings. Hope you enjoy it.

www.roadfood.com/Reviews/overview.aspx?RefId=110

quote:

Originally posted by mek

It's too bad that the people of Homestead, knowing this was going to happen, did not get their act together and buy the bar from Mr. Chiodo.
This is a true shame. Another historic building biting the dust.

Many, not all, but many, of the people of Homestead are finding it difficult to make their own mortgage, let alone taking on the financial distress of running even a successful restaurant/bar.

That said, I'm going to miss Chiodo's. I did many a late night drinking there in the late '90s. Microbrews, Boddington's, Chimay, Framboise ... I'm getting teary just thinking about it.

____

Oh, at least one of those bras is mine.

quote:

Originally posted by -Tricky-

quote:

Originally posted by mek

It's too bad that the people of Homestead, knowing this was going to happen, did not get their act together and buy the bar from Mr. Chiodo.
This is a true shame. Another historic building biting the dust.

Many, not all, but many, of the people of Homestead are finding it difficult to make their own mortgage, let alone taking on the financial distress of running even a successful restaurant/bar.

That said, I'm going to miss Chiodo's. I did many a late night drinking there in the late '90s. Microbrews, Boddington's, Chimay, Framboise ... I'm getting teary just thinking about it.

____

Oh, at least one of those bras is mine.

Tricky,
Hoist a Straub's for me, wouldja? (Click imaginary glass.) "Here's to Joe Chiodo!" I bellow, 600 miles distant.
Alleghenically, Ort. Carlton in Trans-Oconee-esque Athens, Georgia.

Only 15 days left until Joe closes the doors on December 24th. I implore Roadfooders in the Pittsburgh area to stop by for one last look. Bring your cameras too to record a piece of history that will soon be gone.

Shame on you Walgreens!!!

Due to legal issues, Chiodo's was open for another three months until March 25, 2005. Now it remains as a part of our collective memory.

Read about the closing at www.post-gazette.com/pg/05095/482781.stm

What history occurred in this bar. Labor strategy for USW Local 1397 was discussed in its halls, Art Rooney selling tickets to Steeler games the Saturday evening before the game for 75 CENTS during the 1940s, Steelworkers clearing their throats of all the dust from the rolling mills and blast furnaces of the mighty Homestead Works.

Screw Walgreens for buying the property and putting up yet another unneeded drugstore. I shall never shop there. This company is as bad as Walmart.

As a frequent patron of Chiodo's. I remember having some of the best spaghetti on Wednesdays.. All you could eat for $4.00!! What a loss!!