A painting of icon Andy Warhol can be seen crawling out of a grave, spray cans in his hands. A zombie hovers above.
On the other side of the room trolley cars appear to be rolling by South Hills Junction. The city of Pittsburgh appears in the background. Across the way is a depiction of a National Record Mart. The steps leading to the Side Slopes decorate another wall.
The Pittsburgh-inspired scenes are depicted on the walls of the newest Condado Tacos, opening Feb. 25 in South Hills Village. It is the 23rd overall store and joins area locations in Downtown Pittsburgh and Lawrenceville.
“This is my favorite Condado Tacos,” said Jimi Gibson, assistant general manager, a Monroeville native who lives on the South Side. “It is so colorful. It resonates with me.”
Located near Macy’s, the Condado has mall and outdoor entrances. The indoor capacity is 150 and with another 50 seats outdoors.
Each store is decorated to represent its specific location. Gibson calls this “Condado South Hills.” A dozen creatives, along with Condado’s art director, were chosen to create a décor that lead artist Matt Spahr of New Kensington describes as “old-school hip-hop, with a nod to the 1980s and ’90s.”
“We wanted something uplifting, engaging and for all ages,” said Spahr, whose 18-year-old-daughter Grace helped paint some of the characters.
Condado invites local artists who can portray the intricacies of a city, because they know the history, Gibson said. They used an acrylic paint called nova and created the murals with brushes and spray paint.
“We want the art to have the feel of the local area,” Gibson said. “We don’t want it to feel like a chain store.”
Spahr said the art is to honor the people who have paved the way before them. While they painted, they listened to music from the 1980s and ‘90s.
“I trust Condado,” said Spahr, who has worked on several locations. “They let us do fresh ideas. They give us artistic freedom.”
Spahr said they started with computer drawings and as they were painted, they were thrown some curveballs.
“If you have a good foundation you can hit those curveballs out of the park,” Spahr said. “We all have a Pittsburgh work ethic here so we focused on getting it done. Art surrounds you here. I love to see my art out there. Murals are art for the people. They can eat a taco and enjoy art. You can’t do that in a museum.”
Condado is known for its build-your-own taco style. The store has vegan and gluten-free options.
They’ve hired nearly 16 employees. On opening day, everyone gets one free taco with purchase.
Muralist Max “Gems” Gonzales said this experience was extra special for him.
“Condado is Mexican and I am a Mexican American from Chicago, so this work speaks to my identity,” said Gonzales, from the Upper Hill District. “Plus, it is in a mall and will be seen by all kinds of people on a day-to-day basis. It’s not in a museum. It is art that is accessible to everyone.”
