Owners of The Pitt

It’s the kind of story that sounds like it’s from a charming sitcom or some documentary on Main Street America.

“There’s this couple from KC. They come down here every other Saturday, have a couple Glenlivets, go grab some fried chicken at Barto’s, then come back for another drink. They stay at a local hotel for the night, then drive back home to KC.”

Blaise Main is telling the story from inside The Pitt, the downtown restaurant and bar he owns with his mom Sandra and step-dad Kyle. He’s calm and composed while telling the tale, but his eyes can’t hide his pride.

“I think we’ve created something special here,” he said. “It’s a place local people can enjoy, but also people from out of town can come to when they visit Pittsburg. It’s really kind of neat.”

“I think we’ve created something special here.”

The Pitt opened four years ago, sort of by accident. While working on the building that now houses Sandra’s therapy and life coaching business, Possibility Junction, the family would walk over to what was then Brickyard. 

On a particular Thursday afternoon, they noticed something unusual: a chalkboard sign above the beer taps that said “Last day Saturday.”

“I had my back to the beer taps,” Blaise said. “Kyle saw the sign and pointed at it.”

The two had often talked about opening their own bar.

“I looked over my shoulder and saw the sign,” Blaise said. 

He knew what Kyle was getting at.

“That was a Thursday,” he said. “We had a meeting with the previous owner the following Monday, and by the next Monday, we were signing papers.

“In 10 days, we went from having lunch to having a bar.”

“In 10 days, we went from having lunch to having a bar.”

The Pitt is a bar with great food. It’s also a restaurant that serves alcohol. It’s a live music venue, and it’s a place to sit and watch pretty much anything you want on the big screens.

It’s really just whatever you want it to be.

“That’s the cool thing about our place,” Blaise said. “There are some people who come in just wanting to sit at the bar with a beer, and others come in to eat and never touch a drop of alcohol. For us it’s just about being able to provide the best experience, whatever you want that to be.”

And you can’t talk about sitting at the bar without talking about Maggie Amick. 

“Best bartender around,” Blaise said. 

Blaise and Maggie have known each other for more than a decade, and when the idea for The Pitt was launched, she was an integral part of the plan. 

“Before we did this, we had to make sure she would join us and be our bartender,” Blaise said. “There’s nobody better.”

Together, the team has overcome the ups and downs of owning a local business, including the ever-challenging Covid pandemic. The key to their success, Blaise said, has been adaptability.

“From day one, we said that whatever is working, we’re not going to fight it,” he said. “We’ll just roll with it and adapt when we need to. There have been many times we’ve needed to adapt and change things, whether it be how we operate or what we serve. 

“We enjoy those challenges. We’re able to adapt, respond, and keep getting better. I think that’s why we’re still here and plan to be here for a long time.”

The Pitt is located at 516 N. Broadway. Check them out!