| Gus and Yiayia's | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1934 [1] |
| Dress code | Come as you are |
| Street address | 638 West Ohio St. |
| City | Pittsburgh |
| County | Allegheny County |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| Postal/ZIP Code | 15212 |
| Coordinates | 40°27′08″N80°00′44″W / 40.4520947°N 80.0122423°W |
Gus and Yiayia's is a food cart located in Allegheny Commons Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. [2] Established in 1934, it is best known for serving ice balls for kids during summer. [3]
This foodstand was originally established in 1917. [4] Gus Kalaris' father then bought the cart in 1934 for $175 ($3,295.30 adjusted for inflation in 2019), and renamed it. [5]
The name comes from the Greek term "Yiayia" meaning grandmother. The original Yiayia was his mother Pauline, who died in 1992. Gus' wife, Stella Kalaris, became the next Yiayia. [6] After Stella died on October 26, 2016, [7] the "Gus and Yiayia's scholarship" was founded in her name to benefit local kids they served. [8]
In June 2024, Gus Kalaris died at the age of 92, months after the stand celebrated its 90th anniversary. [9] Kalaris still owned Gus and YiaYia's at the time of his death. [9]
The stand sells ice balls, peanuts, and popcorn. The ice balls are the main attraction. [10] Originally, the ice blocks came from a manufacturer on Brighton Road, but now the cart imports them in from Ohio. [11]
This restaurant was featured in Rick Sebak's North Side Story (1997) documentary on WQED (TV). [4]
In 2012, the Pittsburgh City Council proclaimed April 25 "Gus and Yiayia Day." [12]
Pittsburgh Magazine also named Gus as one of Pittsburgh's best personalities. [8]
In 2021, a miniature version of the cart was added to the Carnegie Science Center's Miniature Railroad and Village. [9]
Oakland is the academic and healthcare center of Pittsburgh and one of the city's major cultural centers. Home to three universities, museums, hospitals, shopping venues, restaurants, and recreational activities, this section of the city also includes two city-designated historic districts: the mostly residential Schenley Farms Historic District and the predominantly institutional Oakland Civic Center Historic District, as well as the locally-designated Oakland Square Historic District.
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The Mellon family is a wealthy and influential American family from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The family includes Andrew Mellon, one of the longest serving U.S. Treasury Secretaries, along with famous members in the judicial, banking, financial, business, and political professions. Other notable figures include the prominent banker, R.B. Mellon, and his son R.K. Mellon, who provided funding and leadership for the first Pittsburgh Renaissance.
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featured in Rick Sebak's North Side Story, and, back in 2012, the Pittsburgh City Council even proclaimed April 25 "Gus and Yia Yia Day."