Staff photo / David Skolnick Erik Hoover, right, co-owner of Cockeye BBQ & Creamery, serve food at a Tuesday announcement that his business was opening a second location at Penguin City Brewery on East Federal Street in Youngstown. Joining him, from left, are Alex Sisler, Adam Chinchic and Kaitlin Richter, three of his employees.

YOUNGSTOWN — Erik Hoover, co-owner of Cockeye BBQ & Creamery, said people have been asking him for years to expand, but until now he didn’t feel ready.

“Youngstown was always in our heads,” he said.

He and his wife, Stacey, were approached more than a year ago by the owners of Penguin City Brewing Co., which purchased the former Republic warehouse at 460 E. Federal St. in December 2020.

“We weren’t quite ready when they bought the building,” Erik Hoover said. “We know Penguin. We sell Penguin beer. Then they approached us again, and we are ready. The timing is right.”

The Hoovers said Tuesday their business, which opened seven years ago on Parkman Road NW in Warren, would have its second location at the Penguin City building ready by no later than November. The creamery in Warren opened three years ago.

Cockeye will operate its kitchen out of a 1,500-square-foot space in the Penguin City building.

“We’re super excited about coming here,” Stacey Hoover said. “This is going to be an amazing partnership.”

Cockeye, which employs about 35 people at its Warren location, will have about the same number of employees in Youngstown, Erik Hoover said.

A 238-seat tap room area will be shared by the two businesses and open in a month, Aspasia Lyras-Bernacki, Penguin City’s co-owner, said.

“We want to focus on beer, but we knew we needed food,” she said. “We felt it was better to partner with a local business. We heard Cockeye was looking to come in. Both of our ideas match. It was just a perfect fit. Barbecue is huge, and we’re excited to have them here.”

Councilman Julius Oliver, D-1st Ward, said: “This business could have gone anywhere, and they came to Youngstown. This is the future of the east end of Youngstown. It’s entrepreneurs helping entrepreneurs. Youngstown has to support Youngstown, and this is an example of that.”

Oliver, who has the Penguin City building in his ward, said: “It is amazing how they turned a blighted area into a success. It’s a beautiful thing. This is the economic development the city should be focusing on.”

Penguin City purchased the warehouse for $575,000 in December 2020 and is investing $3.7 million to relocate its production line and open the taproom and brewhouse along with an event center and rental space.

D.O.P.E. Cider House & Winery became Penguin City’s first tenant in February 2021.

The 32,704-square-foot East Federal Street property was first developed in 1884 as a stable, saloon, wagon shop and lumber yard. It’s been a hotel, restaurant, billiards parlor, blacksmith shop, candy shop, steel and iron fabricators and steel warehouse over the years.