Shift Collaborative is proud to be a women-owned business in Pittsburgh. To celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, we are sharing this list of 12 women-owned businesses in Pittsburgh that we love. Shop small, shop local, and support women-owned businesses in the ‘burgh!
Food and Drinks
Caffè d’Amore
Sarah Walsh runs her sustainable coffee shop, Caffè d’Amore, in the Upper Lawrenceville neighborhood and strives to locally source her ingredients and food. The cafe serves a range of espresso drinks, specialty coffee drinks, house-made shrub sodas, and delicious tea, as well as sandwiches and sweets from local producers.
Leona’s Ice Cream
Katie Heldstab and Christa Puskarich are the founders behind the much-loved Leona’s Ice Cream Sandwiches. Katie first started making her lactose-free ice cream for herself, and she knew more people would love it too. Thanks to the help of a natural enzyme, Leona’s ice cream is 100% lactose-free made with real dairy. You can now find Leona’s Ice Cream around Pittsburgh, from supermarkets to smaller food spots like Commonplace Coffee.
LUX Artisan Chocolates
In early 2013, Shelby Ortz founded LUX Artisan Chocolates, the first artisanal chocolatier in Pittsburgh, PA. Lux is all about sourcing the best ingredients, having the most skilled artisans craft their products, and honoring and upholding chocolate and confection-making techniques. You can find LUX in various places in Pittsburgh. One of them is Mon Aimee Chocolat, another women-owned business in The Strip!
Abeille Voyante Tea Co. (Formerly Tupelo Honey Teas)
March 1, 2023 update, rebranded to Abeille Voyante Tea Co. in 2022. As they state on their website, same tea, different name!
With her love for tea and a passion for herbs’ healing properties, Danielle Spinola created Tupelo Honey Teas, a cozy, eclectic cafe in Millvale with a community heart and big-city flavors. Tupelo Honey Teas procure and make teas that not only taste great but are also good for your body and soul. The cafe is connected to the Millvale Community Library. Together they feed your mind, body, and soul.
Pittsburgh-Made Goodies
Love, Pittsburgh
Artisans Kelly Sanders and Monica Yope love Pittsburgh so much that they turned it into Love, Pittsburgh. With an abundance of talented artists and makers in Pittsburgh, Kelly and Monica curated an assortment of artist-made and designed art and gifts that will delight everyone. At Love, Pittsburgh, you can find works by more than 100 Pittsburgh-based artists.
Knotzland
In 2014, Nisha Blackwell started Knotzland and built an environmentally friendly business. She sources and rescues high-quality discarded textile pieces and works with a local Sewcial Network to transform them into unique accessories for men and women. Knotzland is a powerhouse up-cycling business that cultivates ecosystems that support people and the environment.
Moop
March 1, 2023 update, Moop has since relocated to Seattle, but remains women-owned, and you can shop online to support a Pittsburgh original!
Wendy Downs is the owner, designer, and manufacturer of Moop. The durable and well-crafted Moop bags are mindfully designed and hand manufactured in small batches, start to finish, in their downtown Pittsburgh storefront. The classic backpack, totes, and other carriers are designed for your adventure and journey ahead.
SilkDenim
Inspired by the beauty of worn fabric, Pittsburgh artist Louise Silk and her daughter Sarah started SilkDenim to re-make 100% recycled materials into individually crafted objects that you can use in everyday life. The SilkDenim pieces are responses to unsustainable “fast fashion” and one-time-use products. Louise and Sarah are particularly attracted to denim because of its rugged practicality and its unique ability to improve with age. Every piece is made by hand in SilkDenim’s studio in the South Side.
For the Body and Soul
Una Biologicals
Una Biologicals, an organic product brand in Lawrenceville founded by Jessica Wilson Graves, is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves the best. Una’s products are free of chemicals, additives, unnecessary preservatives, and artificial fragrances. Una is committed to creating skin food luxury that nourishes the body and soul.
Soil Sister’s Plant Nursery
Raynise and TaRay Kelly are the sisters behind Soil Sister’s Plant Nursery. With intense passion and knowledge in horticulture, the Kelly sisters lovingly care for each plant, specifically growing heirloom and organic crops with natural fertilizers and healthy soil. The Soil Sister’s Plant Nursery shortens the distance between the grower and the produce that reaches your table.
The Farmer’s Daughter Flowers
Lauren Work Phillips works magic with flowers. Her hands are in every process of the floral business and her blooms, from planting the seeds at the family farm to composing them into breathtaking arrangements, all the way to delivering her creations from North Side to special occasions throughout the city. Lauren appreciates, respects, and cares for every flower and plant and wants to share their beauty with the world.
Soul Strength Sisters
Emily Kelch and Jenny James, the founders of Soul Strength Sisters, are runners, weightlifting ladies, and fitness advocates. They believe in educating women on proper deadlift form and redefining strength as a fortitude that goes deeper than muscles. Soul Strength Sisters provides various strength training plans designed for newbie-to-the-gym, pros who need a refresher, post-baby moms, and more.
Do you have other women-owned businesses that you frequently visit, support, and shop from? We’d love to know them too – share them with us by emailing hello@shiftcollaborative.com!
