For now, Shorty’s Pins x Pints quietly sits undisturbed. It won't last long, as the space will soon be filled with the sound of balls knocking over duckpins, the electronic cacophony of pinball machines, and the general crowd noise of people coming to see the new adult arcade taking up the former Tilted Kilt space in the North Side.
Shorty's grand opening on Mon., Feb. 21 is a long time coming for the original “retro-tainment” concept focused on old-timey games presented in a laid-back atmosphere.
“We’re trying to be a little more tactile like you’re in your grandpa’s basement,” says Shorty’s COO, Craig Winning, during a recent tour.
Originally announced around 2018, the Shorty’s team has spent years renovating the space, including ripping out the kitchen to make room for all the games and bars areas, as well as creating an outdoor patio complete with kitschy AstroTurf, fire pits, and outdoor games like cornhole and bocce, all enhanced by a stunning riverside view of Downtown Pittsburgh.
Some elements may look familiar, including a design motif reminiscent of Burgatory, which is no coincidence, as the group behind the local custom burger chain is partly responsible for bringing Shorty’s to the area.
Winning says they were getting ready to open Shorty’s just days before the COVID-19 shutdown happened, which inevitably postponed the space’s debut. But the time allowed them the opportunity to re-evaluate their model.
For example, while they didn’t originally plan on serving food, they decided to add a shipping container kitchen attached to the back part of the building. From there, the Burgatory team tapped George Adelo, the chef behind the Federal Galley restaurant Guapo, to help create a menu of “Mexican street” fare like Al Pastor, Smoked Beef Barbacoa, and Cola Carnitas tacos, as well as the generously portioned, infinitely sharable Pizza Box Nachos.
Paired with the food are two bars serving a variety of drinks, which customers can track the availability of via a “digital train station split-flap sign” designed to show “arriving and departing” beer selections and draft cocktails.
Besides a selection of local and regional craft beers, the menu offers a creative array of alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails that will win over even the most skeptical guest (i.e. me). It’s hard not to be drawn in by the sweet coffee flavor of the nitro cold brew martini, the vanilla and passion fruit of the Rock Me Baby, or the La Flama Blanca, a re-imagined margarita with tajin powder around the rim.
Under all the fun, however, is an unexpected thoughtfulness to various aspects of the business. There are QR codes throughout that allow patrons to order and pay for food and drinks, and to access games, making the processes as contactless as possible in a socially-distanced COVID-19 world. Winning says they also invested in biodegradable food containers in an effort to cut down on waste.
While the business has yet to open, Winning says Shorty’s is already eyeing a second location in Homestead’s Waterfront, giving game lovers in Pittsburgh more options.
Shorty’s Pins x Pints. 353 North Shore Drive, North Side. shortysx.com
Shorty’s Pins x Pints brings retro games, creative cocktails, and tacos to North Side
