Sylvia Lynn Hatchins is the owner and heart behind Sylvia’s Market & Deli, a beloved neighborhood staple located on Centre Avenue in Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District. What began as a vision for a small deli has grown into a trusted gathering place where the aroma of barbecue welcomes residents long before they reach the door. For Sylvia, food is more than a business—it’s a way to nourish community. “This is real food,” she often says, emphasizing the importance of access to home-cooked meals in a rapidly developing neighborhood.

A self-described “community person,” Sylvia has spent decades investing in the people around her. She is known for simple but powerful acts of care, from occasionally offering free hot dogs and juice to schoolchildren to greeting longtime customers by name. Before opening Sylvia’s Market & Deli, she operated a convenience store in Elmore Square for 12 years, where she mentored neighborhood youth by teaching them how to work a cash register and understand responsibility, money, and work ethic. Though that business closed during renovations, the relationships Sylvia built never did—many of the children she once guided are now adults who continue to support her business.

Looking ahead, Sylvia envisions expanding Sylvia’s Market & Deli into a full-service restaurant with seating and a completed commercial kitchen. She is also passionate about introducing healthier menu options to help address high blood pressure and diabetes within the community. Her broader hope for the Hill District is one of stability and pride—more Black homeownership, stronger neighbor-to-neighbor support, and collective growth. Grounded in the belief of “each one teach one,” Sylvia continues to lead with care, consistency, and a deep commitment to the place she calls home.