Longtime establishments become ingrained in the fabric of a community.
Hence, the outpouring of support after a roaring fire destroyed Riley’s Pour House, a beloved Carnegie landmark, on Thursday, Nov. 14.
“It’s pretty overwhelming,” said Jim Riley, who ran the Pour House from 2012 to 2019, when he passed the torch to his brother Joe and Joe’s business partners.
Emergency response to the blaze was provided by 24 different fire departments including these West Hills volunteer companies: Carnegie, Crafton, Kennedy, Moon, Robinson, Moon Run and Stowe.
Aid continues to come in a multitude of ways, everything from free furniture and crowd funding accounts to those displaced by the fire, to gift basket auctions, to merchants and food establishments donating part of their profits or cash tips, and local businesses offering employment opportunities to Riley’s staff.
Riley’s Pour House expressed its gratitude in a statement: “We appreciate the outpouring of support for the Pour House and our staff. Your kindness has been a beacon in this difficult time.”
Melissa Mentz, administrator of the “Carnegie CommUNITY” Facebook page, is not surprised by the response. “Carnegie has always been a resilient community and anytime something has happened I’ve seen us pull together,” she said.
The Carnegie Fraternal Order of Eagles, Aerie 1134, 202 3rdAve., is sponsoring a spaghetti dinner fundraiser from 4 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, with all proceeds benefitting Riley’s Pour House employees.
“The second I heard of the fire, I knew it was my calling to try to raise as much money as possible for the people that did the same for me when I was in need. Now, it’s my turn.”
– Ryan Vassar Busch
In a letter sent to local businesses, the Carnegie Eagles trustees and officers wrote, “Carnegie lost a staple in the community where many gathered to eat good food, enjoy good music and be merry with friends.”
Ryan Vassar Busch, who worked on and off as a Pour House security guard for the last seven years, is organizing the spaghetti dinner. In 2022, the Pour House held a fundraiser for Busch after a near fatal car crash left him unemployed.
“The second I heard of the fire, I knew it was my calling to try to raise as much money as possible for the people that did the same for me when I was in need. Now, it’s my turn,” he said.
Carnegie Borough Manager Steve Beuter said the municipality has been working to coordinate any calls that have come in regarding the fire to make sure they get to the appropriate parties.
“We’ve had residents and visitors both reach out to see how they can help in different ways,” Beuter said.
The property has been a bar since the late 1930s, but didn’t adopt the Pour House name until Dennis Murphy purchased it in 1979, turning it into a classic Irish pub. When he sold it to the Sullivan family, they added their surname to the Pour House moniker. Later, it became Paddy’s Pour House, then Riley’s Pour House.
“When I got it, I used to tell people you’re a steward of the institution,” Riley said. “You do what you can and you pass it on to the next person and hope they do what they can. I think Joe and those guys have done a great job.
“Unfortunately, the worst thing any restaurant wants to see is a fire.”
The fire originated in the kitchen with an operating kitchen appliance, according to Kasey Reigner, an Allegheny County Emergency Services spokesperson. Reigner said there were no reported injuries and the fire remains under investigation.
It’s the second fire to destroy a Carnegie restaurant in six years. Papa J’s still hasn’t rebuilt after a fatal fire in an upstairs apartment in March 2018.
Joe Riley and his partners are planning to rebuild Riley’s Pour House and look forward to joining the Carnegie community in a pint at the pub soon.
“Pass the torch” I mean, did you really consider the phrasing when you wrote that?