Release Date: Thursday, March 6th 2008

Post-Gazette: Golden Triangle Grocery to Open March 17

"Nervous? Yeah. Scared to death," he said with a laugh. "You''re always nervous when you take risks. It''s something you have to do. Life is about taking risks. We hope we can meet expectations."

Mr. Fernandez will be opening the much anticipated Rosebud Fine Food Market and Deli at Seventh Street and Fort Duquesne Boulevard in the Encore on 7th apartment building on March 17.

The opening wasn''t timed to coincide with St. Patrick''s Day, but if it happens to bring some of the luck of the Irish, Mr. Fernandez will take it.

But he knows the market, the first in the Golden Triangle since Market on the Square closed in late 1994, ultimately will be judged on how it caters to the needs of Downtown residents and workers. He believes it''s up to the task.

"I think it''s going to be a good thing for the city and I think it will be welcomed with open arms. I think it will meet the needs of a lot of people," he said.

The 3,100-square-foot store will offer "everything you would find in a major supermarket or grocery store, just on a smaller scale."

There will be fresh fruits and vegetables ("Where can you buy a fresh tomato Downtown?" he asked), prepared foods including sandwiches, salads and wraps, and prepared meals that can be quickly heated for dinner, Mr. Fernandez said.

Rosebud will offer as many as five prepared salads. Customers also will be able to request made-to-order sandwiches from the deli, which will be stocked with meats and cheeses. There also will be fresh breads, pastries, desserts and an array of organic products. The market also will sell frozen fish and staples like milk and butter along with vinegars, oils, pasta and cleaning and pet supplies. Customers can get fresh fish and steaks if they give the market 24 hours'' notice.

Rosebud also plans to offer some of the more popular prepared foods from Mr. Fernandez''s two Downtown restaurants, Bossa Nova and Manny''s.

Mr. Fernandez originally had hoped to open the market last fall. But the project ran into some "hiccups" along the way, including a requirement for two rest rooms in the market''s small space. Mr. Fernandez said he was able to get a variance from the county Health Department to reduce that to one.

Mr. Fernandez decided to name the market Rosebud after a deli he operated in the 625 Liberty Ave. building, formerly known as Dominion Tower and CNG Tower, for 13 years.

One study estimated the total grocery expenditure for Downtown households at $2.8 million a year, a number expected to triple by the end of the decade as people migrate Downtown.

Last year, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership counted 1,377 housing units in the Golden Triangle, with another 866 planned or under construction.

The market will be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.