Voodoo Brewing Co. will be replacing Max and Erma's off of Central Ave in Sylvania Township.
SYLVANIA TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A new business is coming to the Toledo area.
Voodoo Brewing Company, described as an "elevated pub" by its owners, will be opening off of Central Avenue in Sylvania Township at the end of month.
The owner and head chef said they wanted to bring business back to northwest Ohio, with the goal of bringing together and investing in their community.
The announcement first came in October of last year.
After working on the project for two years, Voodoo Brewing Company announced they would be replacing the closed Max and Erma's location.
Credit: Laura Sandlin
"When I walked in this building originally I thought maybe a bulldozer would be the best thing for this building. We put a little foresight into it and saw that this could be a phenomenal location, especially with all the housing, all the businesses over here," said owner and operator Wayne Kinsel.
Long-term Sylvania resident, Kinsel said after starting an independent pub with his wife, they wanted to take the next step.
Credit: Laura Sandlin
"We noticed that there was a little bit of a gap for something elevated, as an elevated pub for family members to go, and one of our biggest goals was making this the pub for this region of Toledo," Kinsel said.
According to Kinsel, their motivation lied in investing back into the community and helping to further Toledo's infrastructure.
"We live here. We live in the Old Sleepy Hollow neighborhood. Our daughter goes to Sylvania schools. Our friends are from this community, and we wanted to create the pub in this community that has welcomed us as a family, especially a family that's not from here," he said.
For chef and General Manager Reuben Easler, good memories brought him back to help his hometown after spending time in Chicago and Washington, D.C.
"Growing up, I always loved being around my mom when she was cooking. We always had big holidays, and things like that. So being able to learn about the background and the culture of cooking, and then the fun aspect of serving," said Easler.
"I'm from Toledo, so I want to see Toledo do well. I was always told by a chef of mine was, 'go out into the world, learn as much as possible, and bring it back home," he explained.
Voodoo Brewing Company will officially open on March 29. It will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.