PITTSBURGH — Bar owners across Pittsburgh and Allegheny County say they are tired of violence hurting their businesses.
At least 15 Black bar owners came together Monday night inside Proof Sports Bar to create a unified plan they hope will keep it away for good.
If there is one thing each owner has in common, it is finding ways to combat violence in and around their establishments.
Sameera Burton, co-owner of Hysyde Lounge in Marshall-Shadeland, said the group is serious about protecting what they have built.
“We’re trying to send a message. We mean business. We work too hard and these are major investments to allow outside noise to break it all down,” Burton said.
Burton and Mike Reid, owner of Eon Bar and Grill in Homestead, both agree that after the latest shooting outside Club Elegance in Braddock on April 18, 2026, it was time to suggest a change for all.
“If we don’t stick together and support each other, none of this will work,” Reid said.
Now, the group says it is ready to act.
“We all will have a scanner. This scanner, we scan your ID. If it says banned from Eon, you’re banned from every establishment a part of this meeting,” Reid said.
Owners say this is just the first of several meetings, but they believe a shared system could help stop violence across the board.
Reid also said he is now working more closely with law enforcement and local officials to deter crime.
“If somebody sees a cop car out front, they’re not going to do a lot of the things they are going to do,” he said.
Other owners agree that increased police presence could help and want to make it part of the plan.
The coalition’s goal is to improve safety without hurting business.
“If you look at the people we employ, from cooks, bartenders, security guards, DJs, promoters, we employ a lot of people. That would be a lot of people without jobs if we just closed these bars,” said Derrick Hemby, owner of Galaxy Lounge.
The group also discussed creating consistent zero-tolerance policies and posting the same rules outside each business.
They plan to meet again on June 1, 2026.
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