THE OWNER WHEN WE ASKED WHY THIS IS CALLED ALMA’S WEBSITE, A GOFUNDME FUNDRAISING ACCOUNT IS POSTED SEEKING A GOAL OF $150,000. IT’S KIND OF HARD TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT’S HARD TO ASK PEOPLE FOR MONEY. JOSH ROSS IS CO-OWNER AND HEAD CHEF AT ALMA. HE IS ASKED TO EXPLAIN WHY CON ALMA IS ASKING FOR DONATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC WITH A GOFUNDME ACCOUNT. YOU SOMEWHAT FEEL LIKE YOU’RE FAILING, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW YOU’RE NOT. BUT YOU KNOW, FIRST TIME BUSINESS OWNERS, WE’VE OBVIOUSLY MADE SOME MISTAKES. CON ALMA IS A POPULAR JAZZ BAR RESTAURANT FEATURING LIVE MUSIC. SHADYSIDE WAS THE FIRST LOCATION, BUT ROSS SAYS IT TOOK A BIG HIT AND SUFFERED GREATLY DURING COVID. THEY OPENED THE SECOND LOCATION IN THE CULTURAL DISTRICT IN 2021, WHILE STILL TRYING TO REVIVE THE SHADYSIDE LOCATION. ROSS CALLS IT A BAD BUSINESS DECISION. WE SHOULD HAVE JUST CLOSED THE DOORS IMMEDIATELY WHEN WE OPENED UP DOWNTOWN, WHICH, YOU KNOW, CAUSED US TO SEND A LARGE AMOUNT OF PROFITS FROM THIS RESTAURANT TO THE OTHER ONE TO KEEP IT OPEN FOR NUMEROUS THINGS. PAYROLL EXPENSES. NOW, THEIR LOCATION IN THE CULTURAL DISTRICT IS FEELING THE BRUNT FINANCIALLY. THAT IS WHY THEY’RE ASKING FOR THE PUBLIC’S HELP TO CLEAR UP WHAT THEY CALL LEGACY DEBT AND KEEP THEIR DOORS OPEN. WE THOUGHT THAT PITTSBURGH WAS BIG ENOUGH FOR TWO, AND WE WERE WRONG. 100% WRONG. IT’S JUST UNFORTUNATE. YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER. AGAIN, THEIR GOAL IS $150,000 WITH THE OWNERS OF CON ALMA. THEY HAVE NOT GIVEN A TIME FRAME AS TO HOW LONG THE BUSINESS CAN STAY OPEN. IF THEY DO NOT MEET THAT GOAL. AS OF THE FIRST WEEK OF THAT FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN, THEY’VE RAISED $40,000 COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY I
Con Alma jazz bar, restaurant in Pittsburgh launches GoFundMe account to raise $150,000
Updated: 7:05 PM EST Dec 18, 2025
The owners of Con Alma admit they bit off more than they could chew with an ambitious effort to operate two locations.Con Alma Shadyside opened in 2019, but suffered greatly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and then a second location opened in 2021 in the Cultural District downtown.Co-owner Josh Ross says it was a bad business decision to operate two locations, especially with the bulk of profits directed at saving the Shadyside location that eventually shut down.”We should have closed the doors immediately when we opened up downtown, which caused us to send a large amount of profits from this restaurant to the other one to keep it open, for numerous things, payroll, expenses,” he said.As a result, Con Alma owners are burdened with what they call “legacy debt” from predatory loans because of their business decisions, hence the GoFundMe account seeking help from the public.”It’s hard to ask people for money,” says Ross. However, he believes it is important to show transparency while asking for the public’s help to meet the debt.”We thought Pittsburgh was big enough for two Con Almas, and we were wrong, 100% wrong,” he said. “It’s just unfortunate. We should have known better.”Ross will not give a timeframe on how long Con Alma can stay open. They’ve raised nearly $40,000 during the first week of their GoFundMe campaign.
PITTSBURGH —
The owners of Con Alma admit they bit off more than they could chew with an ambitious effort to operate two locations.
Con Alma Shadyside opened in 2019, but suffered greatly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and then a second location opened in 2021 in the Cultural District downtown.
Co-owner Josh Ross says it was a bad business decision to operate two locations, especially with the bulk of profits directed at saving the Shadyside location that eventually shut down.
“We should have closed the doors immediately when we opened up downtown, which caused us to send a large amount of profits from this restaurant to the other one to keep it open, for numerous things, payroll, expenses,” he said.
As a result, Con Alma owners are burdened with what they call “legacy debt” from predatory loans because of their business decisions, hence the GoFundMe account seeking help from the public.
“It’s hard to ask people for money,” says Ross. However, he believes it is important to show transparency while asking for the public’s help to meet the debt.
“We thought Pittsburgh was big enough for two Con Almas, and we were wrong, 100% wrong,” he said. “It’s just unfortunate. We should have known better.”
Ross will not give a timeframe on how long Con Alma can stay open. They’ve raised nearly $40,000 during the first week of their GoFundMe campaign.