Meet Sara Levin | Co-Owner of The Barrel House, Dayton, Ohio

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sara Levin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sara, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I grew up primarily in a suburb of Buffalo, NY, East Amherst. During my freshman year of high school my dad was transferred to Cincinnati for work and I decided to move with him, along with a couple of my other siblings. My Father is Jewish and my Mother has been many different iterations of Christian, so I feel like it was instilled in me from an early age to be open minded and to always be asking questions and exploring ideas. My parents divorcing when I was 5 led to years of tumultuousness for my mother, and ultimately myself and my siblings. For a few years after their split, before moving in with our dad full time, we were subject to a level of neglect and trauma that we are all still trying recover from in various ways. I’ve learned through therapy that the trauma I experienced as a young child hugely impacted who I am as an adult, but certainly in my drive and ability to survive in dire situations.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business is a cozy little craft beer and wine bar and bottle shop in downtown Dayton, Ohio. We’ve been open for just over 6 years, 18 months of which we were curated only due to covid. People often say we’re like the living room or the ‘Cheers’ of Dayton, because the space is so comfy and has such great vibes. We also pride ourselves on being involved with and beneficial to the community. We try to use our platform and voices for good, and always try to publicly stand for what is right. In my early 20’s I was heavily involved in activism and wanted to do it professionally somehow, which seemed unrealistic. Part of what keeps me going through the struggles of owning a small business is the belief that we are contributing in at least a small way in making a positive change in our community. People have had first dates here, gotten engaged here, married here, had baby showers, birthday parties, bachelorette parties. So many amazing memories have been made here by so many people, and it feels good to think about that. As a proudly Jewish and Queer woman, I also take a huge amount of pride in providing a safe space for everyone (except assholes, no assholes allowed.)

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is actually one of my favorite things to do, curare trips. Dayton is great for so many reasons, but especially because it’s so easy to get around in a short amount of town. Downtown Dayton where we are located is mostly walkable, and if it’s too far to walk, there are bikes, e-bikes, and scooters to rent to get around. Another great thing about downtown Dayton is that we have DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area) in most of downtown, so as long as you have the DORA cup, you can walk around the city with your beverage. So if I were to plan a weekend for an out of town friend, we would start by coming to The Barrel House, get a beer to go, then walk to the Oregon District to get brunch at Lily’s. After an amazing brunch we would walk around the Oregon District and visit the various shops, some of my favorites are Brim, Omega Records, Heart Mercantile, and Check Your Head. After some casual shopping we would walk down to Riverscape. Riverscape is one of my favorite places to spend time in Dayton, it’s a beautiful riverfront with bench swings, a splash park, concessions, plenty of seating and lovely landscaping, an outdoor amphitheater where they host many concerts and events, and in the winter an ice rink. The bike trail goes along the river, so it’s nice to walk or ride an e-bike down the trail to enjoy the view and fresh air. After that we would walk over to Little Fish Brewing for lunch. They have great beers, and incredible food, plus they’re great people. After lunch we’d go to another favorite spot of mine Canal Street Arcade & Deli. They have free arcade games, a full bar, and a good tap list (and amazing sandwiches if you do go hungry). For dinner we’d go to 1Eleven Flavorhouse. Their food and tiki drinks are my absolute favorite in town, the service is always excellent, and their menu is diverse enough for a variety of food preferences. After dinner we’d go to Tender Mercy for post-dinner cocktails (they have great NA cocktails too!), followed by Red Star for some darts and a night cap. The next morning I’d take them outside of the city to my favorite local breakfast spot, Blueberry Cafe. After that we’d need naps, trust me. Once we’ve recovered from our food comas, we’d go to DK Effect, another barcade, but with an extensive tap list, and you can order pizza (my favorite is the Mac n cheese pizza) from Gioninos next door and they’ll bring it to you so you can keep playing skeeball. If it’s during the summer months and there’s a show happening, we’d spent our evening at the Levitt Pavilion, a giant green space and stage in the middle of downtown where you can catch a free concert or go to an event, you can bring coolers and beers, so we always grab beers from the barrel house before we go. There’s so many more things to do in Dayton, but those are just a few of my personal favorites.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d shoutout our amazing staff and loyal guests that have all helped keep our business open over the last 6 years. But I think an extra shoutout should go to our Manager, Matt Ross. He was our first hire once we were able to hire someone else, so he’s been on our team since almost the beginning, and he was a friend before that. He works harder than anyone I’ve ever met, and with a great attitude. He’s been voted “Best Bartender in Dayton” twice, and it came as no surprise for people who have met him while he’s behind the bar. He’s an absolutely integral part of the success of our business.

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