Exceptions are groceries and all clothing. A better downtown choice is the Shops at Station Square . Walnut Street in Shadyside contains most typical mall stores, the local boutiques have moved to the neighboring streets. The Oakland area is only a university campus town. Local shops are along Carson Street on the South Side and in the Strip District .
Natives have a local dialect.
Dropping the g on ing endings is common, as is dropping the to be infinitive as in needs fixed . Prior to the French and Indian Wars in the 1750's, Pittsburgh was part of the French region of North America. There are still many local French place names. Pittsburghers have no idea how to pronounce French names. Try to pronounce as if the word was English.