Pittsburgh donut shop temporarily closed after water main break causes damage

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PITTSBURGH — A beloved donut shop in the Strip District has been forced to temporarily close its doors following a destructive water main break.

“It was like Niagra Falls in here,” said Peace, Love and Little Donuts Founder Ron Razete.

Interior surveillance footage captured the forceful blow, which sent water, shattered glass and gravel all across the store on 21st Street. The break happened around 4 p.m. last Wednesday, and was caused by nearby construction, Razete told Channel 11.

“Thank God, that’s the most significant thing. Everything else, as they say, is stuff. Stuff can be fixed.”

Employees and customers were inside, but thankfully they were not hurt.

Razete said that his insurance company is covering the cost for repairs, but it could take several weeks to get those completed.

The destruction comes after a challenging few years. Razete said the nearby terminal renovation and loss of parking has hurt business substantially. But, things were starting to look up, and May of this year was the best month they had since 2018.

“We were looking forward to a new normal and it looks like that’s going to be postponed.”

Razete told Channel 11 he is grateful for the outpouring of support from the community, particularly on social media.

“I want people to know, when we do reopen, I want to see everybody down here and I want to shake their hands and say thank you.”

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The owners said to keep checking their Facebook page for more information on its grand reopening.


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