Alternative Milks /  by amy weiland

We had removed almond milk from our menu after learning of the environmental impact of growing the nuts back in 2019. Not only does it take approximately 15 gallons of water to produce about 16 almonds[1], but they are predominantly grown in drought-prone California. The USDA Pesticide data program has found residues of nearly nine different pesticides on almonds, five of which are toxic to honey bees. Bees are recruited from all across the states to help force pollinate the almond trees grown in California. This unnatural process is a strain on the bees. Traveling outside of a normal flight radius and mingling with different hives brings more diseases such as mites, parasites, and viruses home with the bees, resulting in a routine loss of 30% (or more! [2]) bees per year.

We keep dairy milk on our menu, despite its environmental drawbacks, because we buy our milk from local farms engaging in sustainable practices and not practicing monoculture style growing. We enjoy supporting our neighbors and the rural economy. If you’d prefer a non-dairy option, we also carry soy and oat milk, and many of our drinks taste great without any creams or sugar.

The pandemic has made issues of care and maintenance for the community prominent topics. It has always been our MO to provide a safe, clean, and professional environment with reliable quality. We value responsibility – this encompasses not only the sustainability practices of the café, but showing up to work each day with a sense of appreciation and attention. We are endlessly grateful for our guests who understand this commitment to thoughtfulness and integrity applies to every facet of the café, even if that means we have to say “no” sometimes. Thank you and stay warm and safe this winter season, we hope to see you soon.


[1] https://sustainability.ucsf.edu/1.713

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/07/honeybees-deaths-almonds-hives-aoe

 

We saved you a seat! /  by amy weiland

Be sure to visit our new physically distanced outdoor seating.

Come on in and order in person, or order in advance with our online site, constellationpickup.com . All drinks remain takeout only.

The gravel portion of the lot has room to space out and enjoy your visit. In the garden area we are working on growing lots of bird, bee, and butterfly friendly pollinator plants. Thanks for understanding that it’s still under construction - as soon as the sidewalk is ready we'll be happy to share this space with you as well!

We’re so grateful for your support and happy to offer some fresh drinks and fresh air!

We're back, baby! /  by amy weiland

We’re happy to announce our return to business. We will be open for takeout only starting Wednesday, July 29th. We will be open Tuesday through Sunday from 8am to 2pm.

We ask that customers use our online ordering system, www.constellationpickup.com, and wear a mask while collecting drinks. We have the store set up so baristas are safely distanced from customers, and vice versa. We thank you for your patience and support while we get through this pandemic together!

Temporarily Closed /  by amy weiland

We hope everyone is taking proper precaution to stay safe during the new yellow phase for Pittsburgh. We have decided to temporarily close. We are tremendously grateful for people who have supported our shop during the pandemic and are sorry to depart just as the economy is beginning to reopen.

However, the safety of our staff and community come first, and with warmer weather and increased walk in traffic it is becoming more difficult to maintain the level of safety and product quality. We are very thankful for your support and please stay well, we’ll see you in the green!!

Happy Earth Day! /  by amy weiland

One of the benefits of this time has been the pause from “business as usual” to reconsider our objectives. Sustainability has always been important to us, but it can sometimes be difficult to make the right choices on a limited budget. During the past few years we have updated our water filtration to a complete in-house system that requires fewer cartridge changes than the standard reverse osmosis setup. We have switched to all LED lighting, we source many of our products locally, we compost and utilize compostable drinkware, construction and maintenance have always been addressed with sustainable solutions in mind, we invest in air filtration for the indoor environment, and we encourage traffic by foot, bicycle or public transit.

Since COVID-19 has allowed us to change our business model, we are saving more money on utilities. With the savings, we have purchased carbon offsets for the shop. The energy supplier we are working with buys Pennsylvania wind and solar based sources of power, so we are also contributing to a greener future for our region.

We take our role as a community steward seriously. We recognize that our responsibility to make great coffee only matters as long as our neighbors are all safe and comfortable. It has been a fine line treading between confidence in what we are implementing and extreme caution for our most vulnerable and the safety of our staff. We thank you for wearing a mask, ordering online, not approaching the register area, and waiting outside if you’ve arrived before your drink is ready. I know it feels awkward, it’s strange for all of us, but keeping everyone safe is our biggest priority. In addition to the added sanitation protocols, we are practicing social distancing between staff members, which is why you see fewer of us behind the bar, and the limited hours.

Thankfully, most people have been happy to adopt our new online ordering setup. If you haven’t heard, please visit www.constellationpickup.com before your next visit! We are happy to serve you and honored by your continued support.

Coronavirus Concerns /  by amy weiland

We are proud to be a neighborhood spot where you feel comfortable visiting daily. With growing concerns of the coronavirus in our community, it feels important to share with our customers that we are implementing extra strategies to help slow the spread of this virus. You are used to seeing us keeping the cafe tidy between guests, but we have added sanitizing all door handles, “high-touch” areas, and register stands to our regular routine.

We have always encouraged employees to take time off when they aren’t feeling well, and offer paid sick days. We continue to encourage this practice, but also need to mention that with a small staff, we may have irregular hours due to staff shortages. Thank you for being patient as we try to work through this problem, and we look forward to maintaining a healthy, happy and caffeinated neighborhood!

Reopening Schedule /  by amy weiland

Thank you all for the kind messages during our rebuilding of the bar! The support of this community is what allows us to tackle a project of this size. We are so excited to share what we’ve been working on with you. We should be back in business by next week!

Owning a small business can be challenging. The elusiveness of traditional financing, economic reality of meager budgets, and pressing need to stay relevant all require constant creativity. Our contractors, Longing Woodworks, have been awesome to work with. They brought a thoughtful, sustainable approach to this project that improved my bare-bones plans for the space and adapted it to a professional level. They also invested a percentage of the funds from this project into reforestation and habit preservation, and encouraged the use of local materials as well as consideration to the lifetime cycle of our product choices. Mark Anstis of All Finished Interior Design has done a beautiful job painting the space. You’ll notice his creative touch in the updated lighting choices and improvements to the ambient environment. Everyone has been working non-stop to ensure we meet our schedule. As long as there are no surprises, we are set to reopen on Wednesday, January 22nd.

We are so happy to continue our commitment to this neighborhood and so grateful for the support. See you soon!

Rebuilding the bar /  by amy weiland

Our bar is the heart of the coffee shop. Drinks are ordered, made, and served from it’s corners. It’s the pulse of Constellation, where conversations and new acquaintances branch out. Our dear bar has done it’s best to grow with us, but we are very excited to announce it’s getting a remodel.

The bad news: we have to close for a few days while we get the work done. On Sunday, January 5th we’re closing at 2pm to allow us time to clean out and get ready for demolition. We will be closed Monday, January 6th through January 20th. We will keep you posted on social media (instagram @constellationpgh) in the instance that plans change. It’s our hope that things progress more quickly than expected and we can get back to brewing ASAP!

Thank you for your support. It is your continued patronage and enthusiasm that allows us to complete this project. It means so much to us that Constellation exists as a community hub, travel destination, and your daily spot for great coffee. We wish you a happy and prudent start to the new year.