Lawrenceville's Restaurant Depot not just for restaurant owners during coronavirus pandemic

With restaurants open only for takeout and delivery, the wholesaler that supplies them is opening its doors to everyone during the covid-19 outbreak.

Restaurant Depot’s location in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood became open to the public this week, company president Richard Kirschner said.

“Imagine Costco and then just amplify that entirely” is how Pittsburgh-based food critic Hal B. Klein describes the 66,000-square foot store on 35th Street in Lawrenceville.

The store sells items in the quantity that restaurants require, so the quantities may not suit every household, Kirschner said, but everything a restaurant uses is in stock, including paper products.

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They’re limiting the number of customers allowed inside the store to allow for social distancing and are otherwise following the guidelines recommended by state and federal officials because of covid-19, Kirschner said.

“We are getting a good response,” he said.