Pittsburghers hit the Strip District for Christmas Eve shopping
In Pittsburgh, few things go together like Christmas Eve and the Strip District.
"It makes me happy," Wynne Greco, of Bethel Park, said.
Gerry Greco brought his daughter, Wynne, along with him on Wednesday to shop. They stopped at Wholey's on Penn Avenue because they had a feast to prepare for.
"We got lobsters, we got shrimp, we'll have some steaks," Gerry Greco said.
Of course, they weren't the only ones roaming around.
"I'm loving it. I got a smile on my face all day long," said Mike Zook, general manager of Wholey's.
Penn Avenue was a popular spot on Wednesday. Anne Queale and her family traveled to Pennsylvania Macaroni Company from Greensburg, Westmoreland County.
"We left the house a little before 7 [a.m.]," Queale said. "We got here at 7:45."
She had some time between picking up her number and getting to the counter, but the wait was worth it. The building was packed with people when KDKA came in on Wednesday afternoon.
"We come here because it's tradition, it's fun, and it's festive," Queale said.
Even though shoppers can get cheese, meats or fish anywhere, many ended up choosing the Strip District on Christmas Eve.
"There's generations of people that come down that tell me that they've been coming here since they were 5," said Bill Sunseri, president of Pennsylvania Macaroni Company.
"They came in as little kids, and followed their mom, their dad around," Zook said.
That's exactly the case for Wynne and Gerry Greco. Gerry Greco hopes his daughter will do this with her kids someday.
"Just gives me a few moments to just be with my daughter and just hopefully ingrain something into her that lasts forever," he said.