that have faced setbacks.
Today, 27 First News Reporter
Chandler Blackmond spoke with
the owners of Penguin City
Brewing who says like everyone
else, they're just trying to
stay afloat.
or ASPASIA BERNACKI (CO-
OWNER): "EVERYDAY IT SEEMS
LIKE THERE'S SOMETHING NEW AND
I HAVE TO QUICKLY ADAPT MY
BUSINESS TO DEAL WITH IT, IN
THIS INDUSTRY." As a thriving
brewing company in the city of
Youngstown, Penguin City is
known for the beers you drink
or buy in stores and
restaurants across the valley
But when the lockdown
happened, Bars and restaurants
closed, and the company lost
half of their sales. ASAPSIA
BERNACKI: "WE HAD TO FOCUS
MORE ON OUR OFF PREMISE AND
THAT MEANT I HAD TO CUT MY
STAFF IN HALF AND I HAD TO GET
TO THE BARE BONE OF THE
BUSINESS TO SURVIVE JUST DOING
OFF PREMISE." Not only did
this force them to decrease
their staff, but the brewery
also took a loss in the number
of clients it serves. RYAN
SHEA (SALES REPRESENTATIVE):
"A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD TO STOP
ORDERING AS MUCH. THEY WANTED
TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING
OF WHAT WAS COMING IN THE
FUTURE, CLOSING OR NOT SO IT
WAS JUST A LOT OF DIALOGUE
LIKE THAT." *BUTTED SO*)
RICHARD BERNACKI (OWNER): "OUR
SMALL PACKAGES LIKE CANS AND
BOTTLES HAVE BEEN DOING WELL
BUT KEGGS HAVE DROPPED
DRAMATICALLY AND IT'S REALLY
AFFECTED OUR FLOW AND INCOME."
Although bars and restaurants
are now back open, Bernacki
tells me business has not been
consistent. Especially now,
after the approval for an
emergency executive order to
end alcohol sales after 10
p.m. ASPASIA BERNACKI: "SOME
DAYS IT'LL BE HEAVY AND WE
WILL DELIVER A LOT AND THEN
ALL OF A SUDDEN IF THEY SAY
BARS ARE GOING TO CLOSE AT
TEN, EVERYONE GETS SCARED AND
THAT AFFECTS US." On top of
the setbacks they're already
trying to overcome, Bernacki
says the new mandate affects
them also. ASPASIA BERNACKI:
"WHEN YOU GET THESE ROAD
BLOCKS OF NOW THEY'RE CLOSED
AT TEN, IT HURTS AND NOW WE
HAVE TO READJUST AND FIGURE
HOW DO WE MAKE THIS WORK NOW."
*BUTTED STAND U*)
CHANDLER BLACKMOND: "LIKE MANY
BUSINESS, THE BREWERY HAS
FACED THEIR SHARE OF SETBACKS
FROM COVID-19. BUT BERNACKI
TELLS ME THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF
YOUNGSTOWN. IT'S A CITY OF
FIGHTERS WHO GET BACK UP, WHEN
THEY'VE BEEN KNOCKED DOWN. IN
YOUNGSTOWN, CHANDLER
BLACKMOND, WKBN 27 FIRST
NEWS.."
