Father, Daughter Are New Dormont News Owners

When Jessica Conrad and her father John Milos, decided a few years ago to buy and run a business, they took their time.

It was important to find the right one, in a good neighborhood with loyal customers, Conrad said. When Dormont News came up as an option, Conrad said it was just perfect.

“My dad has been wanting to open a business, and we looked at a lot,” Conrad said. “We liked it here. There are nice people and nice traffic through here. I love this neighborhood.”

Conrad and Milos, of Monroeville, officially took over Dormont News on Aug. 2, the last day of work for previous owner Mike Dean. Dean said it would be tough to leave the business and the area he’s proud of.

Dormont News opened in 2001 and Dean became the business’s second owner in 2005. He’d worked in retail management for several years and said owning his own business had always been a dream.

“This has become kind of a mainstay in this stretch,” Dean said. “Not many businesses have been in the same place for 12 years.”

Dean now plans to take a semi-retirement, and focus more on his second career of real estate investment. He said he’s looking forward to it, but will miss seeing regular customers in the store everyday. He’s been training Conrad for several weeks about how to run the store, and introducing her to the customers.

“In this area, it’s a staple of a business to have regulars,” he said. “That’s why I’ve stayed on these three weeks. I wanted to help Jessica meet our customers and get to know them, so that it’s a smooth transition for everyone.”

Conrad said she and her father don’t plan to change much about the store. Dormont News will continue to offer the same products and services, and she plans to bring in Turner’s Dairy products and a few new snack brands.

Conrad and her husband, Rick, plan to be the “faces of the store” and will run the store during the day, and Milos said he plans to stop in frequently and help with the business end.

The store will maintain its regular hours, open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Dormont News also will now be open on Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

More information is available on the Dormont News website and the new Dormont News Facebook page.