Orr’s Jewelers will open a third showroom in Pittsburgh later this year within The Terminal in the city’s Strip District, a former industrial heartland that has regenerated from a railroad storage and distribution center on the south bank of the Allegheney River to a thriving retail, leisure and residential zone.
Orr’s existing showrooms are east and west of the city center in the more suburban Squirrel Hill and Sewickley neighborhoods.
David Gordon, co-owner of Orr’s Jewelers, says the family business became interested in the Strip District after witnessing first-hand its transformation.
His daughters, Aliza and Leslie, who are likely to become the fourth generation to run the company, live in the neighborhood and consider it a thriving community that blends historic charm with modern amenities.
“Orr’s Jewelers represents a legacy that began [in 1952] with my in-laws and thrives today with my wife, Marcia, and daughters, Aliza and Leslie, by my side,” Mr Gordon says. “With this expansion, we aim to honor the traditions they started, becoming a trusted resource in the Strip District that helps people celebrate life’s meaningful milestones.”
The new Orr’s showroom will open in the fall at 1600 Smallman, a converted warehouse with achingly fashionable building with post-industrial styling.
Architect renderings of the space show vast open spaces under towering ceilings flooded with natural light.
Much of the historic industrial look and feel is preserved, including century-old steel girders and beams.
Orr’s is an authorized dealer for Rolex, Cartier, Brietling, Tudor, IWC, Chanel, IWC, Panerai, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Oris, Panerai and Bell & Ross.
The final brand line-up for the new store is still evolving, but the team says it is expecting to offer watches and jewelry from Cartier, David Yurman, Omega, IWC, Panerai, Roberto Coin, and Rahaminov Diamonds.