I love the Strip, I really do. Can it be better? YES.
If you like to support local businesses and visit what it like a city public market or market district, the Strip is the place to go in Pittsburgh. There you will find specialty meat purveyors, seafood purveyors, spices, Italian goods, bakeries, etc. You will also find a lot of local businesses or farms that have their own stand in the Public Market area. You can find some of the best breads and meats in town down here.
You can find a lot more in many other cities markets like this though. That is my only complaint... I feel that with a little love, this area can become more like Cleveland's West Side Market, or like the Lexington Market of Baltimore, etc. There is just so much more potential overall.