Whistle & Keg Bar in Downtown Youngstown Is for Sale

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Whistle & Keg bar downtown is up for sale.

Owner Matthew Wilson, who purchased the business about a year ago, said the bar will remain open on select nights while he seeks a buyer.

Wilson is an agent at Platz Realty Group, which is handling the sale. He stressed that only the bar is for sale, and not the building.

The Whistle & Keg opened in 2017. Wilson and others purchased it in 2022.

From its start, the bar was known for its wall of taps, offering 40 beers that customers pour themselves. Upon entering, customers receive a wristband with an embedded computer chip that they use to activate a tap.

The bar was also known for its steam whistle, salvaged from a steel mill, which was blown at 4 p.m. each day and for special occasions.

Like all downtown bars and restaurants, The Whistle & Keg was forced to close during the pandemic. The economic recovery of downtown bars and restaurants has been hampered by changing customer preferences and lingering street reconstruction.

The bar is the second business on its block to announce changes.

Last month, the owners of Prima Cucina Ristorante, which is next to the Whistle & Keg, announced that they will soon move the restaurant to 4500 Mahoning Ave. in Austintown. Owner Tim Huber said he will keep the current downtown space open but rename it Bar Prima and alter its menu.

Pictured at top: The Whistle & Keg bar in downtown Youngstown is for sale but will remain open.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.