By Adam Cagle

Cardboard signs in every color of the rainbow adorn the storefront windows of the retail shops that used to sit at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Wood Street Downtown.

These vibrant bearers of information that used to be indicators of sales and specials are now directions to a new home: With the beginning construction of the cutting-edge PNC headquarters in the heart of downtown, several businesses have had to pick up and move not only their signs and merchandise but also their memories.

“Stepping off the bus from New York in ‘75, I remember being blown away by the intensity of the fans after the city won its first Super Bowl,” said local retailer John Vazquez.

The passion he felt that day led to the creation of “Black and Gold Forever,” a haven devoted to anything and everything Steelers.

Having to relocate, however, doesn’t seem to bother him. Vazquez said he sees the development of the building as a great opportunity for the community that will provide thousands of jobs.

“Nobody likes to move but you had to know it was coming,” he said. “They’ve been buying up everything around me for years.It was just a matter of time.”

Other business owners, such as his former neighbor at “Eastern Wigs,” don’t share his outlook. Bessie Sunwoo, 23, is not entirely pessimistic about the change to Liberty Avenue but it does leave her with a feeling of indifference.

Sunwoo’s parents have owned the business for more than 30 years and depend mostly on their regular customers who are used to coming to that location. With machinery blocking the storefront of their former shop, it is difficult for passersby to see the new address.

“It is going to take time to tell what kind of affect the move will have,” Sunwoo said. “It is slow right now. I just want people to know where we are.”

For the previous tenants, the move has caused them some disruption but it hasn’t affected the spirit and original concepts that inspired them to open their doors from the start.

The sound of crowd-revving music and Steelers commentary still emanates onto the sidewalk outside of Vasquez’s shop at 306 Forbes, just a block from his original spot, and wigs in colors ranging from hot pink to a more natural chestnut brown remain on the shelves of “Eastern Wigs.”

With the change in location people who pass by the shops on a daily basis are noticing a definite difference. Margaret Whitlatch, 34, of McCandless works downtown and said she sees moving the shops as a positive.

“I used to be wary of entering them,” she said. “They look more clean and inviting than they did before.”

Several PNC employees said they are excited about the change as well. Karen Steare of Westview works as an administrative assistant at PNC Bank and will be moving to the corporate headquarters once construction is complete.

“I can’t wait to see it once it’s finished,” she said. “The corner downtown is going to look a lot better. It’s definitely a positive addition to Downtown.”