Nestled away on a Mount Washington sidewalk in Pittsburgh at the top of the Monongahela Incline, in front of the Engine 27 firehouse at the corner of Virginia and Shiloh, a true 90s relic thrives.
It's the infamous Phantom Menace vending machine.
You might remember the massive Pepsi tie-in with 1999's Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace. With 24 different character cans, a wide variety of promotional items, and commercials featuring the Marfalump character, Pepsi's presence in the build up to The Phantom Menace was inescapable (along with the billions of other product tie-ins).
This, of course, also included the Phantom Menace vending machines, so ubiquitous throughout the country that there are still a few survivors to this day (though that number continues to dwindle), including the one in Mount Washington, which sits atop a steep incline (and a piece of wood to balance out the two sides on said hill) as is the Pittsburgh way.
The vending machine has become something of a holy site for not only Star Wars fans, but for those of us who marvel at the longevity of these ancient vending machines, seemingly forgotten by the world around them but continue to forge ahead. To the businesses that surround this piece of history, they see hundreds of people stopping to take pictures with the machine every year. The world might be changing around it – meaner, more jaded — but for this vending machine, featuring the characters of Anakin Skywalker and podracer Sebulba, it'll forever be 1999. And isn't there a part of us that wishes that was the case, too?
Pepsi has long since abandoned this particular vending machine, but the firefighters still stock it, often with Faygo products. Coins only these days (75 cents to be exact); the machine apparently isn't able to take dollar bills anymore.
When I was in Pittsburgh during the summer of 2025, staying at an Airbnb with some friends, I knew I had to see this machine for myself. I drove through some winding streets of various inclines and declines until, finally, there it was. I walked towards it, marveling at this pop culture landmark.
Online, the machine has developed such a lore that it has become a beloved oddity and a time capsule installation out in the open for all to enjoy. Hopefully, it continues to be just that for many more years to come, dispensing cheap soda for thirsty Yinzers and traveling Star Wars fans.