PHOTO COURTESY OF BEANO’S

In 1991, after running Beano’s Pizza & Subs in Blawnox for six years, the Conroy family decided to “liquidate” the successful business. The shop’s signature submarine dressing was their biggest asset. 

“We recognized a void in the condiment business,” says Jim Conroy, who founded the eatery right out of college with his brother Bill. “None of the big condiment companies were making a submarine dressing and were not targeting grocery store deli departments to merchandise and sell sandwich condiments.”

That original family recipe — a mix of pure soybean oil, red wine vinegar and Italian dressing — was first distributed to Giant Eagle stores. These days you can find it and more than three dozen varieties of Beano’s Original Deli Condiments in all 50 states as well as Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Central America.

Not bad for a little Blaw Avenue submarine shop. 

Now after giving the world a taste of Pittsburgh, the Conroys, who named their original business after a childhood friend, want customers to hear what the Steel City is all about. O’Hara-based Conroy Foods has partnered with local musicians to share hometown tunes with folks across the nation. 

There’s a scannable QR code on 2.5 million bottles of Beano’s Original Submarine Dressing that leads to a curated playlist featuring favorite local acts such as The Clarks, The Commonheart and Gene the Werewolf. 

“Our local musicians are so good,” Jim says. “I thought there must be a way to let more people know about them.”