Before Busy Season, Phantom Hosts Managers Meetings | April 12, 2019

By Anthony Suszczynski WARREN, Ohio – Phantom Fireworks hosted its annual managers meetings this week at the Avalon Golf and Country Club here. With 80 permanent showrooms along with 1,400 temporary locations, the Youngstown-based company brought in 200 store managers from across the country. The meetings cover sales, improvement opportunities, marketing, social media and new […]

By Anthony Suszczynski WARREN, Ohio – Phantom Fireworks hosted its annual managers meetings this week at the Avalon Golf and Country Club here. With 80 permanent showrooms along with 1,400 temporary locations, the Youngstown-based company brought in 200 store managers from across the country. The meetings cover sales, improvement opportunities,...

Abigail’s Bakery Creations Rises in Face of Challenges | April 12, 2019

AUSTINTOWN, Ohio – Take a quick look at the Facebook reviews for Abigail’s Bakery Creations, which opened last month in Austintown, and you’ll find such descriptions as delicious, yummy and darn good. The baker, William Smith, is proud of those compliments, although he can’t speak to their accuracy. “I’ve never had the pleasure of tasting […]

AUSTINTOWN, Ohio – Take a quick look at the Facebook reviews for Abigail’s Bakery Creations, which opened last month in Austintown, and you’ll find such descriptions as delicious, yummy and darn good. The baker, William Smith, is proud of those compliments, although he can’t speak to their accuracy. “I’ve never...

Concept Studio Gives Old Downtown Building New Life | April 11, 2019

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – One of the oldest buildings in Youngstown is enjoying new life as a downtown event space. Concept Studio, co-owned by Mary Ann Meyer and her daughter, Christina Porter, opened this week in the ground-floor space of the John R. Davis Building, 217 W. Federal St. The space has been occupied by […]

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – One of the oldest buildings in Youngstown is enjoying new life as a downtown event space. Concept Studio, co-owned by Mary Ann Meyer and her daughter, Christina Porter, opened this week in the ground-floor space of the John R. Davis Building, 217 W. Federal St. The...

Joe Lantz Fitness Kicks Off in Austintown | April 10, 2019

By Kara Zone AUSTINTOWN, Ohio – After 30-plus year in fitness, Joe Lantz finally has a gym to call his own with the grand opening of Joe Lantz’s Fitness Kickboxing. In the fitness industry since the early 1990s, Lantz has had his fair share of training sessions. After being a pro boxer, working as a […]

By Kara Zone AUSTINTOWN, Ohio – After 30-plus year in fitness, Joe Lantz finally has a gym to call his own with the grand opening of Joe Lantz’s Fitness Kickboxing. In the fitness industry since the early 1990s, Lantz has had his fair share of training sessions. After being a...

Mayo Looks Back on 60 Years in Valley | April 9, 2019

BOARDMAN, Ohio – The picture of a staff meeting on a brochure for the Mayo & Orvets real estate firm in the 1960s resembles a scene from “Mad Men” – 10 white males in suits and ties with well maintained haircuts, all smiling as they talk with each other or on rotary phones. When asked […]

BOARDMAN, Ohio – The picture of a staff meeting on a brochure for the Mayo & Orvets real estate firm in the 1960s resembles a scene from “Mad Men” – 10 white males in suits and ties with well maintained haircuts, all smiling as they talk with each other or...

RedHead Wine Expands Walmart Distribution | April 9, 2019

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – RedHead Brands LLC will expand its distribution through the Walmart retail chain to 100 stores in Ohio and most of its West Virginia stores. In addition to expanding distribution of the RedHead Red brand, the retail giant will add RedHead Rosé and L’uva Bella Winery’s Purple Rain Concord wines to those locations […]

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – RedHead Brands LLC will expand its distribution through the Walmart retail chain to 100 stores in Ohio and most of its West Virginia stores. In addition to expanding distribution of the RedHead Red brand, the retail giant will add RedHead Rosé and L’uva Bella Winery’s Purple Rain...

Hollywood Gaming Sets Records in March | April 9, 2019

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Wagers, winnings and net win at Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course in Austintown hit record levels in March, the Ohio Lottery Commission reported Monday. The monthly VLT report posted on the Ohio Lottery website showed wagers at the Austintown racino – operated by Penn National Gaming Inc., Wyomissing, Pa. – […]

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Wagers, winnings and net win at Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course in Austintown hit record levels in March, the Ohio Lottery Commission reported Monday. The monthly VLT report posted on the Ohio Lottery website showed wagers at the Austintown racino – operated by Penn National...

Succession Works at Quality Switch | April 8, 2019

NEWTON FALLS, Ohio – When Horace Sewell started building transformer switches inside his machine shop in 1952, his intentions were modest: to make enough money to send his kids to college. “When he started the business he encouraged my brother and I to look at other places,” recalls Russell Sewell, the CEO and second-generation owner […]

NEWTON FALLS, Ohio – When Horace Sewell started building transformer switches inside his machine shop in 1952, his intentions were modest: to make enough money to send his kids to college. “When he started the business he encouraged my brother and I to look at other places,” recalls Russell Sewell,...

Four Generations of Business, Community Service at Sweeney | April 5, 2019

BOARDMAN, Ohio – Doug Sweeney recalls his first job at State Chevrolet. At his family’s Wick Avenue dealership in Youngstown 42 years ago, the 14-year-old dusted the parts shelves in the parts department. “Back then it was probably legal,” the president of the dealership today known as Sweeney Chevrolet Buick GMC reflects with some amusement. […]

BOARDMAN, Ohio – Doug Sweeney recalls his first job at State Chevrolet. At his family’s Wick Avenue dealership in Youngstown 42 years ago, the 14-year-old dusted the parts shelves in the parts department. “Back then it was probably legal,” the president of the dealership today known as Sweeney Chevrolet Buick...

Renovations at Firestone Banquet Center Just ‘Step One’ | April 2, 2019

COLUMBIANA, Ohio – The renovation of the banquet center at The Links at Firestone Farms is just “step one” of the future management has planned for the space. “Everything is moving down in this direction. Columbiana is not as far as it used to be,” says general manager Michael Ferranti. As such, The Links Banquet […]

COLUMBIANA, Ohio – The renovation of the banquet center at The Links at Firestone Farms is just “step one” of the future management has planned for the space. “Everything is moving down in this direction. Columbiana is not as far as it used to be,” says general manager Michael Ferranti....