PITTSBURGH, PA — Call it the unluck of the Irish.
The owners of Riley’s Pour House, a popular Irish pub on East Main Street in Carnegie that was destroyed by a kitchen fire in November 2024, published a social media update Monday on their progress to rebuild.
The message was not encouraging.
“We sure were hoping to be able to give you a more ‘concrete ‘ update by now, or even better, that shovels in the ground could have their own story,” a post on the bar’s Facebook page stated. “But unfortunately, that is not the case.”
Riley’s owners stated that the price of rebuilding (materials, code upgrades, equipment and labor) is very expensive and significantly higher than their insurance settlement, especially after repayment of our mortgage, taxes and other expenses
Furthermore, Riley’s asserted that lenders are tightening standards for the food-service sector
“That combination has prevented us from moving as quickly as we all had wanted,” the post stated.
“But we feel we are close on all fronts: finalizing insurance, redrawing plans and securing financing. We want to thank you all for your continued patience and support. So, rest assured, we are coming back.”
No details on when construction might begin were provided.