‘Looking for a little change’
City girl adjusting to pace of life in Monongahela
EDITOR无毛视频橲 NOTE: This is one in a monthlong series of profiles of the people who live and work in Washington, Greene and Fayette counties, in celebration of the nation无毛视频檚 250th anniversary.
Lauren Kelly can probably count on one hand the number of times she无毛视频檚 been truly astounded.
无毛视频淚 always know what every surprise is,无毛视频� shrugged Kelly, an effervescent millennial who grew up in Ross Township.
But within the last year, life has gifted Kelly three grand surprises: a new home, a timeless treasure, and a dream realized.
The most apparent is that timeless treasure, the ring on her left hand.
Last July, the day before her birthday, Kelly and her then-boyfriend were en route to his grandfather无毛视频檚 99th birthday party.
无毛视频淚 fell asleep in the car,无毛视频� Kelly recalled. 无毛视频淚 woke up, and he was just holding the ring while he was driving. He said, 无毛视频楢re we doing this or what?无毛视频� It was the only way he knew he could surprise me, I think, because I always, I just know.无毛视频�
Before they began dating eight years ago, the pair had been good friends, so it was an easy 无毛视频測es.无毛视频� That surprise engagement followed the couple无毛视频檚 unexpected move south, to Monongahela.
无毛视频淚 had never even heard of it,无毛视频� laughed Kelly, who无毛视频檇 been living in Pittsburgh无毛视频檚 South Side. 无毛视频淲e were kind of looking for a little change and some quiet.无毛视频�
Her fiance无毛视频檚 friend owned a house in the little city. Kelly无毛视频檚 beau showed her a map of the area (无毛视频淗e was like, look, it无毛视频檚 cute. They like Christmas! And I was like, OK, yeah, you sold me,无毛视频� she smiled) and that was that. In June, Kelly and her fiance celebrated one year as Mon Valley-ians. They无毛视频檙e currently settling into the slower lifestyle.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 quiet. It无毛视频檚 certainly out of the city,无毛视频� Kelly said. 无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e calling it our retirement year.无毛视频�
Retirement is quite the understatement.
When Kelly arrived in Monongahela, she was a seasoned corporate-world employee working remotely.
无毛视频淚 was like, I don无毛视频檛 want to do this anymore. I want to experience what无毛视频檚 going on here. I applied at City Mission. I thought it was just going to be for the summer, and then I worked there until they closed,无毛视频� said Kelly.
Late last year, with the Mission无毛视频檚 final day set for March 14, 2026, Kelly began brainstorming her next career move.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檝e always been a thrifter. That无毛视频檚 me and my mom无毛视频檚 favorite activity: We go thrifting and antiquing,无毛视频� said Kelly. 无毛视频淚 had always talked about opening a store. It never seemed like the right time, or I didn无毛视频檛 know how to go about it.无毛视频�
As the Mission无毛视频檚 closing loomed on the horizon, Kelly revisited her thrift store dreams.
无毛视频淢y fiance was like, OK, I got you something for Christmas. I无毛视频檓 gonna give it to you early. And we also have to go to it,无毛视频� Kelly said, remembering how she drove herself crazy trying to guess what the gift might be. 无毛视频淲e got in the car. I was like, it无毛视频檚 a store, I know it无毛视频檚 a store. We got here and he pulled up and he was like, 无毛视频楬ere无毛视频檚 your store. Get to work.'无毛视频�
Kelly and her fiance transformed the space into what is now Solo Thrift & Vintage, which opened April 20 along Monongahela无毛视频檚 West Main Street.
无毛视频淭here无毛视频檚 definitely stuff to work out and a lot of adjusting. But overall,无毛视频� Kelly said, 无毛视频渋t无毛视频檚 amazing. It is better than I thought it would be and harder than I thought it would be. It feels worth it.无毛视频�
A lesser surprise is how Kelly无毛视频檚 background in English and acting has come into play as a small business owner. She writes and produces quirky sketches for the shop无毛视频檚 social media account (find her on Instagram at @watch.solo.tv). Fittingly, she无毛视频檚 the star of those reels, the leading lady she wasn无毛视频檛 during her childhood acting days, when she was a character actor at Pittsburgh无毛视频檚 ACT ONE Theater School. During her last year with the program, the troupe performed a play based on C.S. Lewis无毛视频� 无毛视频淭he Chronicles of Narnia.无毛视频�
无毛视频淭hey like to give all the senior kids an actual role. So I got a role. They made it up. It无毛视频檚 not even in the play, I don无毛视频檛 think. It无毛视频檚 called the Old Hag. I just did a little monologue to introduce a scene. I was like, all this time and I finally made it, I无毛视频檓 the Old Hag,无毛视频� she laughed.
Now, she plays an enthusiastic small business owner growing roots in the Mon Valley, along the Monongahela River, a waterway her English student sensibilities might romanticize for the way it ties Kelly无毛视频檚 old home in Pittsburgh to this little river town.
无毛视频淚t was a little bit of a culture shock,无毛视频� said Kelly, about her move to Monongahela. 无毛视频淧eople say hi to you. You don无毛视频檛 even look up when you无毛视频檙e walking around in the city. It无毛视频檚 nice to have community, like actual community.无毛视频�