Title 9: A New East Liberty Hangout Welcomes Community Members to Cheer on Women Athletes

Title 9 — Pittsburgh’s first-ever women's sports watch bar — opened as a space in which to savor food, drink and live screenings (exclusively) of women's sporting events.

Something exciting happened in East Liberty last winter. In February, Title 9 — Pittsburgh’s first-ever women's sports watch bar — opened as a space in which to savor food, drink and live screenings (exclusively) of women's sporting events. A concept developed by Sherree Goldstein, owner of Square Cafe, and a group of close friends,Title 9 began by hosting a series of pop-ups.

Goldstein, who’s passionate about women’s sports, originally hails from the Highland Park and Stanton Heights neighborhoods. Her family moved to Mt. Lebanon when she was in 4th grade. Upon graduating from Mt. Lebanon High School, she spent time at Penn State and Chatham College, afterward acting on her vision to bring fresh, seasonal and local food to our city.

Quality and tastiness of food were not her only priorities, though; Goldstein also focused on creating a friendly neighborhood café that would bring the community together. Voila, the inception of Square Café. Over the past 20-plus years, Goldstein and her team have built a friendly gathering spot-meets-cheerful café that welcomes “all guests with open arms and a warm heart.”

We understand that women’s sports programming is still underrepresented, and we want to help change that.
Sherree Goldstein

Not only does Goldstein believe in good food; she also believes in good people and organizations, and her dedication to charity is embedded into Square Café’s core values as a business. The venue’s also committed to cultivating and promoting local talent, and they regularly partner with regional nonprofits on fundraisers, special events and promotions. Square Cafe supports community organizations like WYEP, the Midwife Center, PERSAD Center and POWER (Pittsburgh Organization for Women in Early Recovery).

For Title 9, which is located directly next to Square Cafe (at 5997 Centre Ave.), Goldstein and team have been working to bring this concept to Pittsburgh for about a year. “Our mission is to create a space where the community can come together to exclusively watch and support women’s sports, “ she says. “This concept has been happening all over the country for the past several years, and we feel this is our next step. We understand that women’s sports programming is still underrepresented, and we want to help change that.”

Title 9 visitors can expect a fun, welcoming vibe for all. “Our colors are bold and the environment is cozy and exciting,” Goldstein promises. They’re creating partnerships with many local universities, and public and private schools to highlight local women's sports, too. The space features a full bar, eight televisions, garage windows that open to the street and a rooftop bar area prime for those blissful, warm-weather days.

“Our menu will consist of some vegan and vegetarian items as well as a great burger, salad with yellowfin tuna and of course a variety of wing options,” she said pre-opening. Guests will notice some Square Cafe crossovers (like the popular tots, and handhelds like wraps), plus they can savor local beers, inventive cocktails and mocktails. The bar’s hours are determined by sporting events they air — like March Madness women’s games, for example.

“We pride ourselves in being a warm, family-friendly, inclusive business that steps out of the average experience,” Goldstein says. “Our hope is to provide guests with a new atmosphere to celebrate women in athletics, hang out with friends and family, have fun, win, lose and laugh a lot.”

So why this city, and why now? “Women's viewership has been on the rise,” Goldstein comments. “Pittsburgh has always been a sports town, and we want to support this long overdue opportunity.”

Corinne W

Author

Corinne W

Freelance Writer & Editor

Corinne is happy to be back closer to home (D.C.) after 11 years in the glorious Pacific Northwest. Though she cherishes global adventures, she also lives for discovering local gems, from the best spots for coffee, conversation and soul-nourishing music, to water activities and trails on which to walk a loveable little husky. You can follow her on Instagram at @travelcorx