Grand Opening: Generoasta Encourages Customers to ‘Do Good, Have Fun’ While Drinking Coffee

It’s no accident the symbol chosen to represent the new Generoasta coffeehouse in Warrendale Village is a coffee cup designed around a leaf and a heart.

Owner Eric Ravotti, a Pine Township resident and a former Pittsburgh Steelerslinebacker, said the leaf represents the business’s emphasis on being environmentally friendly while the heart signifies the coffeehouse’s charitable aspect.

“We just want to do our part as much as we can,” Ravotti said.

Located in the same plaza as the  the coffeehouse’s location purposely was chosen at the convergence of Cranberry, Pine and Wexford, Ravotti said. His hope is to attract customers from across the North Hills.

“We needed something that was in a common place,” he said.

After months of construction, the coffeehouse will hold its grand opening Thursday, March 21.

Besides offering high-quality coffee products roasted in-house (specialties are the “The Usual,” “The Unusual and the “Red Belt Roast”), plus soup, salad, sandwich and dessert options, Generoasta also focuses on giving back to local charities. 

Ravotti said the nine people on the coffeehouse’s board of directors came together out of a shared desire to do something good for the community. Bringing customers together in a cozy environment over coffee seemed a perfect way to accomplish their goal, Ravotti said. 

“We thought coffee was the best product to pair with that,” he said. 
The aspects that make the coffeehouse unique can be summed up in Generoasta’s laid-back mission statement—“Do Good…Have Fun… Drink Coffee.”

“We wanted to try to take all the good things we’ve seen in other coffee shops and eliminate the bad ones,” Ravotti said.

A prominent portion of Generoasta’s 2,600-square-foot space is dedicated to showcasing local nonprofits.

Three shadowboxes located along a wall near the entrance display information from North Hills Community Outreach, Animal Friends and the Mars Home for Youth in Adams Township, the three charities Generoasta partnered with for the opening.

A flat-screen television displays more information about the nonprofits. Ravotti said a portion of proceeds from the coffeehouse would be donated to each charity.

Sustainability also is important at Generoasta. Everything in the restaurant is biodegradable, compostable or repurposed, including the reclaimed barn wood decorating the walls, Ravotti said. Even the coffeehouse’s trashcans were designed using early 19th-Century oak wood taken from St. Vincent College in Latrobe.

Although the coffeehouse specializes in caffeine, Ravotti said Generoasta’s cozy atmosphere is designed to relax people—and get them to hang out for a while.

A large “community table” takes up the center of the space. There also is an indoor fire pit with lava rocks that is surrounded by seating.  

“We’re trying to create an entire experience for you,” Ravotti said.

While he advocates trying to “slow life down a little bit” with the coffeehouse, his plans for Generoasta are moving full speed ahead. 

Ravotti said the hope to open more coffeehouses with the same charitable concept across the county.

“We think we can create this movement and bring it to a grander scale,” he said. 

Are you excited for the coffeehouse's opening? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. 

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