‘Looking for a little change’
City girl adjusting to pace of life in Monongahela
EDITOR鈥橲 NOTE: This is one in a monthlong series of profiles of the people who live and work in Washington, Greene and Fayette counties, in celebration of the nation鈥檚 250th anniversary.
Lauren Kelly can probably count on one hand the number of times she鈥檚 been truly astounded.
鈥淚 always know what every surprise is,鈥� shrugged Kelly, an effervescent millennial who grew up in Ross Township.
But within the last year, life has gifted Kelly three grand surprises: a new home, a timeless treasure, and a dream realized.
The most apparent is that timeless treasure, the ring on her left hand.
Last July, the day before her birthday, Kelly and her then-boyfriend were en route to his grandfather鈥檚 99th birthday party.
鈥淚 fell asleep in the car,鈥� Kelly recalled. 鈥淚 woke up, and he was just holding the ring while he was driving. He said, 鈥楢re we doing this or what?鈥� It was the only way he knew he could surprise me, I think, because I always, I just know.鈥�
Before they began dating eight years ago, the pair had been good friends, so it was an easy 鈥測es.鈥� That surprise engagement followed the couple鈥檚 unexpected move south, to Monongahela.
鈥淚 had never even heard of it,鈥� laughed Kelly, who鈥檇 been living in Pittsburgh鈥檚 South Side. 鈥淲e were kind of looking for a little change and some quiet.鈥�
Her fiance鈥檚 friend owned a house in the little city. Kelly鈥檚 beau showed her a map of the area (鈥淗e was like, look, it鈥檚 cute. They like Christmas! And I was like, OK, yeah, you sold me,鈥� she smiled) and that was that. In June, Kelly and her fiance celebrated one year as Mon Valley-ians. They鈥檙e currently settling into the slower lifestyle.
鈥淚t鈥檚 quiet. It鈥檚 certainly out of the city,鈥� Kelly said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e calling it our retirement year.鈥�
Retirement is quite the understatement.
When Kelly arrived in Monongahela, she was a seasoned corporate-world employee working remotely.
鈥淚 was like, I don鈥檛 want to do this anymore. I want to experience what鈥檚 going on here. I applied at City Mission. I thought it was just going to be for the summer, and then I worked there until they closed,鈥� said Kelly.
Late last year, with the Mission鈥檚 final day set for March 14, 2026, Kelly began brainstorming her next career move.
鈥淚鈥檝e always been a thrifter. That鈥檚 me and my mom鈥檚 favorite activity: We go thrifting and antiquing,鈥� said Kelly. 鈥淚 had always talked about opening a store. It never seemed like the right time, or I didn鈥檛 know how to go about it.鈥�
As the Mission鈥檚 closing loomed on the horizon, Kelly revisited her thrift store dreams.
鈥淢y fiance was like, OK, I got you something for Christmas. I鈥檓 gonna give it to you early. And we also have to go to it,鈥� Kelly said, remembering how she drove herself crazy trying to guess what the gift might be. 鈥淲e got in the car. I was like, it鈥檚 a store, I know it鈥檚 a store. We got here and he pulled up and he was like, 鈥楬ere鈥檚 your store. Get to work.'鈥�
Kelly and her fiance transformed the space into what is now Solo Thrift & Vintage, which opened April 20 along Monongahela鈥檚 West Main Street.
鈥淭here鈥檚 definitely stuff to work out and a lot of adjusting. But overall,鈥� Kelly said, 鈥渋t鈥檚 amazing. It is better than I thought it would be and harder than I thought it would be. It feels worth it.鈥�
A lesser surprise is how Kelly鈥檚 background in English and acting has come into play as a small business owner. She writes and produces quirky sketches for the shop鈥檚 social media account (find her on Instagram at @watch.solo.tv). Fittingly, she鈥檚 the star of those reels, the leading lady she wasn鈥檛 during her childhood acting days, when she was a character actor at Pittsburgh鈥檚 ACT ONE Theater School. During her last year with the program, the troupe performed a play based on C.S. Lewis鈥� 鈥淭he Chronicles of Narnia.鈥�
鈥淭hey like to give all the senior kids an actual role. So I got a role. They made it up. It鈥檚 not even in the play, I don鈥檛 think. It鈥檚 called the Old Hag. I just did a little monologue to introduce a scene. I was like, all this time and I finally made it, I鈥檓 the Old Hag,鈥� she laughed.
Now, she plays an enthusiastic small business owner growing roots in the Mon Valley, along the Monongahela River, a waterway her English student sensibilities might romanticize for the way it ties Kelly鈥檚 old home in Pittsburgh to this little river town.
鈥淚t was a little bit of a culture shock,鈥� said Kelly, about her move to Monongahela. 鈥淧eople say hi to you. You don鈥檛 even look up when you鈥檙e walking around in the city. It鈥檚 nice to have community, like actual community.鈥�