Tido's Corner in New Kensington to feature local musical, comedic talents

Every hurdle, every obstacle and every challenge only drove Toriano Wilson to keep going.

After many delays and more time than he thought, Wilson, who goes by “Tido,” is just about ready to open Tido’s Corner, an entertainment venue, in his hometown of New Kensington.

Located in the former Kafa Buna coffee shop on Fifth Avenue at Eighth Street, Wilson, a musician himself, wants his stage to be a platform for local musicians and comedians.

“I’ve seen the talent here. This Alle-Kiski area has a lot of talent. We have more talent around here than a lot of Pittsburgh,” he said. “I want to let other people know how much talent we have around here. It’s a lot.”

Wilson is preparing for the Aug. 2 grand opening of Tido’s Corner, which will feature comedians and musicians. There will be no admission charge that night.

Open Wednesday through Saturday evenings, he plans to feature comedians on Wednesday nights, have an open mic on Thursdays, and schedule bands or comedians on Fridays and Saturdays. Hours will be from 5 to 10 p.m. weekdays but more flexible on Fridays and Saturdays, such as 5 p.m. to midnight.

“It’s a place you can show your talent, get some food, relax and worry about nothing,” Wilson said.

There would not be any admission charge for open mic nights, he said. Scheduled shows would cost $20.

The venue will be BYOB.

Patrons will be able to get food from Wilson’s food truck, Tido’s Tacos, which will be parked outside. The truck features Mexican fare such as tacos, rice and beans, empanadas and nachos. He also will have dinners such as ribs, chicken, wings and barbecue.

“It’s never just the tacos,” he said.

Wilson, 45, a father of four, has operated his food truck for more than two years. His daughter, Catora, helps him run it.

He has been working on getting Tido’s Corner open for more than a year. Turning the former coffee shop into an entertainment venue took more work, time and money than he thought — including taking out walls, adding a ventilation system, getting a lift for the stage, widening the bathrooms and installing a second exit door.

But no matter the work or the expense, Wilson would not be deterred.

“I did everything they asked me,” he said.

The main floor has room for about 50 people. Wilson has a VIP room upstairs and a few rooms downstairs that he plans to rent out for kids’ parties.

As a musician, Wilson has performed at Voodoo Brewing New Kensington pub, owned by Mike Malcanas, who also owns Olde Towne Overhaul. Tido’s Corner is in an Olde Towne storefront.

Michelle Thom, operations manager for Olde Towne, said their journey with Wilson started in the summer of 2021 when he was featured as a hip-hop performer for Fridays on Fifth. He chose the former Kafa Buna space at 750 Fifth Ave. in October 2022.

“The build-out and permitting process for this space has been extremely difficult, due to the strict requirements for any type of stage,” Thom said. “But he has shown a lot of persistence, perseverance and passion for this project, and we were finally successful a month ago in obtaining a certificate of occupancy.

“Entertainment venues are an important part of our downtown and can attract people who might otherwise not visit the area. They provide a place for communities to gather and share experiences, while offering opportunity for neighboring restaurants to provide food and beverages to those same customers.”

New Kensington Mayor Tom Guzzo said he doesn’t know Wilson but wished him the best.

“I think it will be fun to have another entertainment venue downtown,” he said. “I’m sure it will be a good opportunity for entertainers to perform and show off their skills.”

Wilson does not plan to change the mural that had been painted for Kafa Buna on the Eighth Street side of what is now his space. He finds motivation in its words — to “innovate” and “create.”

“I like the message. It goes with what I do,” he said. “There’s no turning back now. Just keep moving forward.

“I think it’s only going to be up from here.”