Unique Pittsburgh Bar Pleads For Survival Assistance

PITTSBURGH, PA — One of the city's most unique bars is soliciting money to help it solve numerous financial difficulties.

Con Alma, a jazz bar on Penn Avenue in the Downtown Cultural District, has started a GoFundMe page in an attempt to ensure its survival. The bar originally opened in 2019 on Ellsworth Avenue in Shadyside, but that location has closed.

"The funds we raise will go directly toward paying back taxes, settling debts, securing payroll, and covering the countless expenses that keep Con Alma running," multiple social media posts stated. "This funding will allow us to achieve more stability for the first time in years, and we will then be able to continue to develop Con Alma’s authentic vision.

Con Alma is not a typical Pittsburgh bar.

"We set out to create an environment unlike any other in the city, with vinyl records spinning, no TV screens to distract from the vibe, and a focus on high-level food and cocktails," the posts stated.

If funds do not roll in, Con Alma seems to face a bleak future.

"In this industry, one slow week can threaten everything, and one slow month can be devastating. Despite outward appearances, we’ve been fighting to stay above water, and the threat of closing our doors has never felt more real."