Senator Smith Tours Sewickley Businesses and Non-Profits

During one of his stops Thursday in Sewickley's business district, State Sen. Matt Smith listened to Kate Weiss-Duncan speak first-hand about some of the obstacles independent book stores face in a challenging economy.

“Sometimes it’s hard,” said Weiss-Duncan, manager of Penguin Bookshop. 

“It’s not just that the books are $10 here and $6 on Amazon, it’s that we have to pay for this space and we have expert, amazing staff. That’s how we differentiate ourselves, on our service,” she said.

Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, offered compliments to the bookshop he visited as one of six stops Thursday on a tour of the business district led by Jennifer Markus and Alex DeLoia of Village Green Partners. 

Smith was newly elected to the 37th Senatorial District in November, replacing former Sen. John Pippy, who resigned from office. Thursday's tour was part of an ongoing effort for Smith to personally introduce himself and reach out to businesses, community leaders and organizations in the communities he represents, which includes the 11 municipalities that make up Quaker Valley.

“We’re trying to go into various communities and learn about what makes those communities special, what unique needs they may have in relative to the state, and how we can be helpful," Smith said. 

In addition to the book store, the tour included visits to the Sewickley Eye Group, the Center for Young Musicians, Fun Buy the Pound Toy Store, and Village Green Partners, and ended with a visit to the Sewickley Community Center. 

“I thought it was great. I learned a lot,” said Jennifer Markus of Village Green, a Sewickley non-profit whose mission is to cultivate the business district of into a vibrant and economically successful regional destination. “I think we should do it again.” 

Smith currently sits on several committees, including community, economic and recreational development, and has made main street one of his priorities during his time in the Senate.

He said locally-owned businesses provide the fiber of the community.  

“They’re invested in the community and they want the community to be successful. It’s a really unique aspect about communities like Sewickley,” he said. 

Smith said he enjoys talking to constituents face to face and working to ensure that towns in his district receive the support they need from the state. As a previous member of the State House, with a district covering a large portion of the South Hills, Smith said he often tried to get out and make himself accessible. 

"I really think it’s important to be very proactive in going to communities and to not expect people to come into our office every time they need something," he said. 

He previously did a township tour in Moon, but this was Smith's first business tour as senator. He is also meeting with various stakeholders throughout the district, including public safety officials, school leaders, and borough managers and town leaders. 

“Each town is unique in its own way and I think it’s something you need to experience first-hand,” Smith said.