Bull & Bear Expands to New Location on YSU Campus

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The new Bull & Bear restaurant and bar in the university area opened Tuesday, but it already looks like a campus landmark.

Photos of Youngstown State University athletes from years past and present day adorn the walls, along with black and white photos of the city when steel mills were part of daily life.

The new eatery at the corner of Elm Street and Lincoln Avenue was given a complete makeover inside and outside by owner Hadi Hadi.

It’s the second Bull & Bear location. The original, at 3917 Belmont Ave., Liberty, remains open.

The new location has a barroom with table seating, and a secondary dining area. Combined, they can seat about 125, and there is additional outdoor seating on the new patio.

Hadi gave the new location the same raw brick and wood decor as the Liberty site to continue the brand.

“I wanted it to look rustic and authentic,” he said.

The menu is also exactly the same, with the signature chicken, sausage, shrimp and steak skewers, along with burgers, mac and cheese, pizza, wings, salads and appetizers.

Hadi is already looking into opening a third site in the Mahoning Valley, but he is not ready to divulge where it would be.

He has enlisted Carlos Ramirez as managing partner of the Lincoln Avenue location. Ramirez’ parents owned and operated Casa Ramirez Mexican Restaurant on the West Side for three decades, and that’s where he learned the business. The restaurant closed earlier this summer, although the Ramirezes still do catering.

“In talking to Hadi, I could see he had something good going with the type of food he is making and the atmosphere,” Ramirez said of Bull & Bear.

With his parents retiring, the timing was perfect for him “to jump on the Hadi train and see how far we can take this,” he said. “I think we can take it pretty far.”

Owner’s Background

Hadi is a 1995 graduate of YSU. He also earned a master’s degree from the school. He grew up on the North Side before moving to Liberty with his family as a youth and graduating from Liberty High School.

After spending time in Atlanta and Columbus, he returned to his hometown in 2006 to go into business for himself.

“I moved a few times, but I’ve always said there is something about growing up in Youngstown,” he said. “I found my way back. I said that if I’m going to make it as self-employed, I’m going to do it here.”

Hadi has always been involved in sports and still is. He was the wrestling coach at Liberty High School for 11 seasons, and now holds that position at Boardman High. He also coached high school football for 20 years.

Hadi set his sights on the Lincoln Avenue location at least two years ago, but it took that long to gain the owner’s trust and secure a lease. The building was the home of Inner Circle Pizza for many years but closed during the pandemic and sat empty for four years. The previous owner, Hadi said, was in no hurry to sell the building and was looking for a buyer who was local and who would benefit the university.

Hadi updated the building’s electrical system, replaced all three HVAC units, replaced the floor tiles and the roof and upgraded the plumbing. “We did not cut any corners,” he said.

Hadi is leasing the building with an option to purchase.

An area at the end of the bar will serve as a stage for bands.

The secondary dining room was purposely given a different atmosphere. “It will be more of a meeting space, or a quiet space for students who just want to get a bite to eat and then read or study,” Hadi said. “They can get away from the noise back there.”

The room can also be rented for parties or events.

When Hadi attended YSU, it was a commuter school. But the school has opened four massive student apartment buildings in the past few years, giving it more of a residential vibe.

All four buildings are within walking distance of the former Inner Circle, which made it even more attractive to potential buyers.

“From a business perspective, we now have more of a captive audience,” Hadi said. Many of his servers live in the new YSU apartments.

The new Bull & Bear employs 15 servers and five cooks, and Hadi intends to hire more.

It is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.

“We are primarily a restaurant with a bar,” Hadi said, “so we are not planning on staying open late at night.”

To more closely connect the eatery to YSU, the Bull & Bear will present the Penguin Patio Party before the football team’s home opener Sept. 7. Elm Street will be closed to traffic, and a keg truck and tables will be set up for the event.

Hadi intends to turn the event into an annual tradition.

Pictured at top: Owner Hadi Hadi and managing partner Carlos Ramirez in the barroom of the new Bull & Bear.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.