Bears Are Taking Over Wholey’s in the Strip
There's a new wildlife mural on the back of the Penn Avenue building, which is home to long-time residents Bill and Betty Bear
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
There’s a sleuth of bears in the Strip District for you to discover.
Local artist Scott Kowalski painted a mama black bear and her cubs on the back of the Wholey’s building at 46th and 18th streets.
The mural is part of Humane Action Pennsylvania’s Love Your Wild Neighbor series, an initiative promoting the peaceful coexistence between man and beast in the face of urban sprawl. The free online resource helps residents address common conflicts humanely and effectively.
Although black bears no longer inhabit the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, around 18,000 roam the commonwealth.
“Public art has the power to start conversations,” Kowalski said in a press release, “and I hope this piece encourages people to approach their wild neighbors with curiosity, respect and compassion.”
For the first mural in the series, artist Jeremy Raymer transformed a blighted area in Pittsburgh’s South Side into a vibrant work of racoon-themed art. Humane Action Pennsylvania, which has helped pass nearly 30 local and state laws to protect animals, hopes to beautify more parts of the city.
Robert Wholey & Co. was happy to give the bears a home.
“The mural brings beauty to the neighborhood while also sharing an important message about respecting wildlife and preserving the natural world around us,” says Jim Wholey, president of operations. “We are proud to support a project that helps make the Strip District more vibrant and meaningful.”
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
The bruins fit right in at the landmark business, which is also home to Bill and Betty.
For more than two decades, the life-sized bear statues have stood outside the Penn Avenue fish market.
Co-owner Sam Wholey jokes that the fuzzy pair were drawn to Wholey’s for the irresistible smell of fresh seafood and, once they saw the selection, didn’t want to leave.
PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER
Bill and Betty don’t always go bare; they regularly don costumes, including black-and-gold gear, Mardi Gras beads, elf hats and other holiday garb frequently, making them a popular photo op in the Strip.
“We love to see our customers posing with Bill and Betty, admiring the model train in the seafood department and singing along with our animatronics,” Sam Wholey says. “It’s great to be able to carry on the family fun that my father created.”
