In the heart of Wilkinsburg, a garden is flourishing—both literally and figuratively—thanks to the partnership between two local businesses and a family’s deep-rooted love for the land. Clarence Youngblood first placed a shovel in his son Eric’s hand when he was just two years old. Forty years later, the father-son duo can still be found working side by side in the garden they cultivated on a vacant lot along Penn Avenue.
Surrounded by concrete walls, the garden bursts with tomatoes, okra, peppers, green beans, gooseberries, and fragrant mint. The mint, in particular, serves a special purpose—it’s a key ingredient in Leona’s Ice Cream’s popular Fresh Mint Chocolate flavor, made just next door at the company’s manufacturing headquarters. Eric Youngblood, co-owner of Perfection at Its Best Catering—a soul food restaurant located just a few doors down—also uses the garden’s produce in his dishes. This synergy between Leona’s and Perfection at Its Best has brought a new vibrancy to the block.
The collaboration extends beyond fresh produce. Leona’s contributes two 500-gallon tanks of gray water, used to cool their ice cream maker, which Eric uses to irrigate the garden. Despite this summer’s drought, the garden has thrived, offering both a literal and symbolic sign of growth and resilience in the community.
Since the partnership began, foot traffic on Penn Avenue has noticeably increased. With Perfection at Its Best receiving rave reviews and Leona’s being recognized as one of the top LGBTQ+-owned businesses in Pittsburgh, this collaboration is proof that when businesses work together, the entire community benefits. Wilkinsburg, it seems, has found yet another reason to stop and enjoy the fruits of its labor—quite literally, with the scent of fresh mint in the air.
