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Pittsburgh Neighborhood's Vacant Storefronts Fail to Faze Business Owners.
Byline: Aviva N. Selekman
May 1--Walk down the main business district in Squirrel Hill and it's hard to miss the empty storefronts. "For rent" signs abound, and no fewer than five locations on Forbes Avenue between Murray and Shady avenues are vacant, including the former homes of Adeles, Cards Plus, Garden Botanika, Kids Unlimited and Hit or Miss. A sixth store, Sports on Forbes, closed Saturday and a seventh, Stamp On It, expects to close in June.
But while the casual observer may think something's amiss, business owners along the popular strip say the activity represents normal turnover for the upscale area. "This happens every so many years," said Joel Sigal, president of the Squirrel Hill Business and Professional Association.
Sigal, who owns numerous properties on the block, including the one that houses his Little's Shoes store at 5850 Forbes, believes the process is even healthy for the neighborhood's top commercial drag. "Transition is always good ... and I think we're going to see a lot of good change."
Realtors said they were working diligently to lease vacant spaces, and all said they had various prospects for the properties.
Aladdin's Eatery, …
