Today’s spotlight is on the long-time Bellevue Farmers Market vendor – Pitaland.
When Joe Chahine and his wife Jocelyne came from Lebanon to Pittsburgh for their honeymoon in 1974, they had no idea this month-long vacation would become their American Dream. Following the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War, Joe stayed in Pittsburgh and began working at his brother’s bakery in Pittsburgh’s Brookline neighborhood, which opened in 1969. Joe and his brother-in-law George Kazour would eventually go on to buy the business from his brother and open Pitaland, one of Brookline’s most enduring businesses and a neighborhood landmark.
It’s been 50 years since his brother first opened that small bakery, and plenty has changed since then. Joe’s four children – Danny Chahine, Donna Tweardy, Joey Chahine and Aleen Atencio now help run the business, and Pitaland has expanded to add a fully functioning kitchen, automated pita bakery, café, grocery store, catering service, and wholesale retailer specializing in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine.
This year is our 6th at the Bellevue Farmers Market. We love the market, especially the customers that we get to meet! Our employees and students help run our booth. We bring in foreign exchange students using a program called Greenheart Exchange, and they help us out with the market booth every summer.
At the market, we serve gyro sandwiches made to order and tucked in our fresh baked pita. We also feature pies and dips. For a sweet treat, we have desserts and fresh squeezed lemonade.
Learn more at http://pitaland.com and visit them on Facebook at facebook.com/pitalandPGH.