Gatto's Harley-Davidson showroom set to open as watercraft hub in Tarentum

The Harleys have roared out of Gatto Cycle Shop along East Sixth Avenue in Tarentum, and the owners are transitioning the space to all things water-related to meet an increasing local demand.

Jet skis and wave runners already are filling the Gatto Cycle Shop Marine Center, which is expected to open by spring.

“It’s coming soon,” President George Gatto said. “We’re extremely excited, as the demand for watersports has grown dramatically in recent years.

“This gives us an indoor location to show our stock.”

Gatto closed the Harley storefront in September to merge with a Shaler dealership his family has owned since 2007.

The mega-store, Three Rivers Harley-Davidson, is the only Harley dealer in Allegheny County.

“It was a hard decision, but it was right for us,” Gatto said. “Things are booming there.”

Motorcycle inventory from Tarentum was emptied and moved to the 40,000-square-foot Shaler facility.

In the meantime, company officials are working on plans to reconfigure the Tarentum storefront to accommodate pontoon boats, jet skis and other personal watercraft.

“The building has a lot of character,” General Manager Dennis Peters said.

It has high ceilings and ornate columns that Gatto’s father purchased from a movie set. There is a lot of space necessary to show boats, he said.

“The best thing is that it gives us the ability to do safe walkarounds in a controlled environment,” Peters said.

The entrance will be replaced with a garage door where the boats can be brought in.

“It’ll still be a squeeze, but this gives us a proper display area,” he said.

At the Seventh Avenue site, the boats sit outdoors. That site will remain home to sales of power sports, bikes, parts and accessories.

The family also owns several other properties in town, some of which will be used to house stock and others of which will be sold.

Gatto’s has been a Tarentum staple since opening its flagship store at the former YMCA on Seventh Avenue in the 1960s.

Council President Scott Dadowski said he is pleased the company is maintaining a presence in the borough.

“George and his family have been in Tarentum just as long as some of our residents, if not longer,” Dadowski said.

“Their reputation as a business is outstanding, and Gatto’s will continue to bring people into our borough.”