Staff photo / R. Michael Semple ... The ribbon was cut Friday afternoon on The Vindicator Vestibule at Penguin City Brewing in downtown Youngstown. The area at the entrance of the brewery features replicas of front pages from the former Vindicator, which was bought by the Tribune Chronicle in Warren in 2019 after the longtime Youngstown newspaper announced its closure. From left are Aspasia Lyras-Bernacki, co-owner of Penguin City Brewing; Michael Pontikos, brand manager at Penguin City; Angela Kellar, director of advertising for the newspapers; Jennifer Herko, advertising sales rep; and Ted Snyder, newspaper general manager.

YOUNGSTOWN — Founded in 1869, The Vindicator has chronicled the Mahoning Valley’s ups and downs, world history events with its local connections and acted as an ongoing source for entertainment and dining options.

Honoring its historical significance in the area, Penguin City Brewing Company features the publication in The Vindicator Vestibule that greets visitors upon entering the building.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Friday afternoon to recognize the brewery’s latest artistic addition. Among those in attendance were The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle general manager Ted Snyder; newspaper advertising director Angela Kellar; advertising rep Jennifer Herko; Aspasia Lyras-Bernacki, co-owner of Penguin City; and Michael Pontikos, Penguin City brand manager.

“The Vindicator has always been woven into the fabric of our community,” Lyras-Bernacki said.

“I still remember the first time I made the front page, it felt like I had become a part of Youngstown’s story. That feeling stuck with me, and it’s one of the reasons I was so drawn to this project.”

Kellar said the paper wanted a bigger presence in Youngstown and realized that linking up with Penguin City was the way to go.

“I really am impressed with how much Aspasia has done with Penguin City and the branding of it,” she said.

Lyras-Bernacki added, “We were excited when The Vindicator approached us to collaborate on this project. We immediately loved the idea of working together.”

The original idea entailed hanging banners around the brewery, but Pontikos took it several steps further.

“He turned it into this beautiful vestibule,” Kellar said.

Using the walls of the entrance, he projected the publication’s coverage of the past while also using modern technology to make it relevant in the present and future.

“When I was going through it, I was like, ‘What were those defining moments in this town?'” Pontikos said.

Spanning generations, it features front page representations such as the sinking of the Titanic — which included passengers from Youngstown — the steel mill closings, the devastating 1985 tornado outbreak, Boom Boom Mancini’s boxing triumphs and the championship of former professional basketball team the Youngstown Pride.

The opposite wall presents a table of contents and subjects the publication covers. Also included are QR codes that people can scan and be treated to what the publication is doing now.

“They can see some of our current products, ‘This Is the Place,’ which is our dining guide. Also, they can hit the QR code and go right to the vindy.com page or even get a subscription that way,” said Kellar.

She added, “We want to point out that we’re here to cover the community. We’re here to give you lifestyle information, and food information about restaurants and bars.”

“We were thrilled with the outcome,” Lyras-Bernacki said. “It’s very vibrant. I love walking through our vestibule, and I love that we were able to partner with Overall Painting Co. to have them execute the design. Patrick McGlone, owner of Overall, also did our murals on the front and side of our building.”

She continued, “It’s the perfect fit. Being in the heart of Youngstown, we’re proud to host this fun homage to The Vindicator in a space that welcomes close to 150,000 people a year.

Lyras-Bernacki’s interest in promoting the city and its businesses has grown since childhood.

“I come from a family rooted in Campbell and downtown Youngstown has always held a special place in my heart. Growing up in the ’80s, I remember visiting Strouss’ to see Santa and enjoying those unforgettable malts. I’d hear my parents talk about taking the bus downtown, and those stories stuck with me.

“As I got older, downtown continued to pull me in, especially during my college years when I fell in love with the city’s energy and resilience. I’ve spent most of my life working here, and I truly can’t imagine being anywhere else.”

For her, the Vindicator Vestibule becomes the latest example of acknowledging the past while pushing forward toward the future.

“We’re here to stay and keep helping to be a part of the revitalization of our city. That’s why it means so much to me that historic institutions like ‘The Vindicator’ have chosen to collaborate with us.”

The Vindicator announced in June 2019 that it was closing at the end of August. It was purchased by former competitor the (Warren) Tribune Chronicle soon after, and the first edition of the Tribune-owned Vindicator hit newsstands on Sept. 1, 2019.