Chip Minemyer: 'Come back and give back': Johnstown native's magazine milestone coincides with a new hometown project

Aug. 27—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — As a young girl in Johnstown, Donna Baxter Porcher enjoyed stopping at the L&D Candies shop in the city's Hornerstown neighborhood.

She went off to get her education and settled in the "big city" of Pittsburgh, but Johnstown was never far from her heart — even with her magazine Soul Pitt Quarterly hitting a special milestone.

Donna and husband, David C. Porcher, purchased the former candy shop at 404 Messenger St. in December, with plans to turn the building into a community center.

This summer is a celebration of that new adventure, and the 50th edition of Soul Pitt — available now across western Pennsylvania.

L&D Candies owners David and Linda DeFazio retired in 2015 after 52 years — and the shop was closed. Until the Porchers came home to give the place new life.

"We used to walk up the street to get candy," Donna said, recalling trips to the shop with her mom. "She was always decorated for the seasons — chocolate bunnies at Easter."

A grant through the Johnstown Redevelopment Authority is helping the Porchers get the place ready for use by the Hornerstown community.

The couple are planning a spot for movie nights as well as educational programs on topics such as financial literacy.

That grant helped them add new doors and awnings, and they've been home frequently to clean up the area around the store.

"We're trying to make the outside look good so the community can get excited," Donna said. "Maybe this will inspire others in the neighborhood, bring something positive to the city.

"Our goal is to come back and give back. When we retire, that's probably where that will happen."

'Into the community'

Retirement is not imminent for the founder and CEO of Soul Pitt Media, whose magazine is free for readers and fully supported by advertising, with 10,000 copies printed and distributed each quarter.

She said the magazine is available at numerous Johnstown locations, including Cassandra Hair Studio on Market Street; Flood City Youth Fitness Academy on Lincoln Street; Camille's House of Styles Salon and Boutique on Village Street; Taco Chellz and Boost Mobile, both on Main Street; and various area churches.

"We wanted it to be free," she said. "We knew we had to get it out into the community."

She launched Soul Pitt in 2010, inspired by Jet magazine — a publication that was started in 1951 but went fully digital in 2014.

"I grew up on Jet magazine," Donna said. She said the size of her magazine — 5 1/4 inches wide by 7 1/2 inches tall — is "our tribute to Jet."

Donna started her magazine to provide "a voice for the minority community in western Pennsylvania," and also to help businesses reach that readership — providing "a resource not only for the African American community, but also a source of information" on educational programs, health care, and other subjects.

She got the idea when she was a student at the University of Pittsburgh, and operated a website for several years — at first as an "underground" publication featuring entertainment listings and local gatherings, aimed at a college-age audience and visitors to the Pittsburgh area.

"We really thought this was going to just be a website where you could find out about events," she said. "Or, where is the Black hair salon, where are the churches?"

'Uplifting Johnstown'

But Donna said friends were telling her, "Maybe we should have a magazine."

She was skeptical, fearing that "print was dead." But she learned that's not true, and "this keeps going on and on."

Success over 50 editions has been built on celebrating people and organizations. Porcher said collaborations have been important — including a recent partnership with Point Park College and a connection with the media group Allegheny Front to spotlight environmental issues through multimedia content.

And, of course, each edition includes a Johnstown story.

One of her first hometown correspondents was Ronald Fisher, who was also a reporter with The Tribune-Democrat before his sudden passing in late 2019.

Johnstown resident Mercedes Barnett now contributes to Soul Pitt while also serving as a correspondent for Johnstown Magazine.

Her report in the spring issue of Soul Pitt celebrated The

Tribune-Democrat's Black History Month poster and essay contest for area young people — sponsored by the Ron Fisher African American Educational Fund at the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies.

"Ronald Fisher was Donna's first writer to focus on Johns-town happenings and accomplishments," Barnett said.

"After his passing, he was my inspiration to continue the Johnstown Spotlight. Donna was determined to keep that feature in her magazine.

"I am proud of Donna and pleased to be one of her writers. Although I am more of a strong community advocate than a writer, my stories in SPQ magazine reflect uplifting Johnstown. Donna allows me to do what I do best, which is what she wants me to do, represent where we're from."

Donna said she and David were "hometown sweethearts" on Oak Street who "parted ways around 1987" when he took a job in Harrisburg and she headed to Pitt.

They reconnected in 2015, were married a year later, and are now making a significant investment back home in Johnstown — where her father was a minister.

"I need to thank Johnstown for supporting (Soul Pitt)," she said. "I've gotten support from Johnstown from the beginning."

Porcher was interviewed recently by Pittsburgh's Heinz History Center, which will broadcast a segment on the magazine's 50th issue this fall — right about the time that Hornerstown community center might be opening its doors.

"When we started, we had no expectations," she said. "But we didn't think we'd be going on this long. It's been a pleasant surprise. ... We took the leap, and now here we are in 2022."