Emporium II, Studio K both celebrate anniversaries
Trista Thurston
Emporium II is located at 709 Fallowfield Ave. in Charleroi and open Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Trista Thurston
Head wraps, hats, jewelry, sports apparel and other clothing items make up the wide variety of options Emporium II has in store.
By Trista Thurston
The remnants of Charleroi’s days as a bustling shopping destination still speckle the borough, and no shop does it better than Emporium II.
That bright red awning with an illuminated sign and lightbulb arrow pointing directly to the store’s entrance reminds customers of an era just beyond the present. Still, the offerings and wares at Emporium II are wholly modern.
It’s has remained in the capable hands of Mon Valley native Bob Kosh for 50 years.
And just down the road, Kosh’s niece Karen Kosh owns her own business, Studio K. The studio just celebrated 20 years of continuous operation. Both the Kosh’s stories are one of gratitude for the supportive community that’s kept both of their businesses going, even amid a global pandemic that shuttered them for a time.
“Out of the ashes comes the Emporium,” says Bob.
Bob tells me that his current space used to be split into five different storefronts and shows me an early photo of his shop, at the time no wider than the doorframe I just walked through. The store has grown through the years, but Bob says the current iteration is how it’s looked for the past 25 years.
As merchandise has changed over the years, Kosh has tried to remain on-trend. When Bob first started Emporium II, he sold water beds and frames. Eventually, the shop morphed into offering more home goods, with gift items, candles, tapestries and the like. Now, clothing and jewelry make up most of his stock. All of Pittsburgh’s professional sports teams’ apparel is proudly displayed, alongside items for kids, women, men and body piercings. The shop was even once a tattoo studio for a time.
He started the store almost on a whim, ran with the idea and here he is, 50 good years later.
Monessen born and raised, Kosh said he opened the business in Charleroi because, at the time, it was the biggest shopping area in the valley.
“(The valley) has been good to me. I’ve been good to it,” he says.
Kosh says his success has come from being honest to customers, pricing items fairly and making sure people walk out of the door happy. His best marketing tactic is word of mouth from pleased patrons.
Business still hasn’t rebounded to what it was pre-pandemic, admitting that the shutdown was particularly difficult, forcing him to sell a car to keep the bills paid. Still, Kosh remains hopeful.
He emphasizes finding joy each day, a sentiment that has kept him optimistic and moving forward. Dedication is the key to a successful business.
Those core values are what niece Karen gathered while working for her uncle. At one time or another, each of Bob’s family members, in turn, has worked at his shop. As Karen built her clientele for her current spot, a salon that does “everything but hair,” she worked at Emporium II. Bob’s success inspired Karen to open a Charleroi storefront just blocks away. And now, Bob’s sister, Deb, is an esthetician at Studio K.
A sound, solid support system, not just of reliable employees and partners but also clients, has kept Studio K running.
“It takes a lot of time and patience. You’ve got to stay focused,” Karen said, adding, “and we have fun.”
It’s clear to see where she got that idea.
Emporium II is located at 709 Fallowfield Ave., Charleroi, and Studio K at 329 Fallowfield Ave.