Behind the name: Twisted Roots puts down roots in Youngstown’s diverse community

Nestled between the Blue Heron Treasure Shop and Premier Settlement and Title LLC, the building at 34 N. Phelps St. in Youngstown had been a bar when Barry Hammond and his partner settled on becoming landlords.

However, that decision would take a turn, and Hammond wound up as the owner of Twisted Roots Luxury Lounge & Sports Bar instead.

A conversation between Hammond and one of his sons formed the name of the luxury lounge and sports bar. They were deciding on a name for a school project when his son proposed “Twisted Roots.”

When it was time to open the building, the name stuck.

“The community of Youngstown is such a diverse community,” Hammond said. “There are so many different people here with so many different lifestyles. And so now, we’re a group of people that are all twisted together to form a beautiful tree.”

Twisted Roots fully opened in October 2025, and it has aimed to be a complete place for the downtown area.

“The environment that we’re in now, most people don’t have much time to go places … to go out and get lunch,” Hammond said. “The second part of our business model is: How can we bring something unique to Youngstown and its residents as a whole?”

There was a void to fill, and Hammond said he established Twisted Roots to fill that void. Other restaurants, like The Varsity Club Youngstown and Avalon Downtown Pizzeria, line nearby streets, but Hammond said daily entertainment can be hard to come across.

On Tuesdays, the luxury lounge and sports bar hosts R&B bingo with its $2 Tuesday Special from 8 p.m. to midnight. It allows the community to stop by after work hours to grab a quick drink and some food — and they won’t be out all night.

Karaoke night follows on Thursdays, which is more than people who can’t sing getting up to perform in front of a crowd, Hammond said. Twisted Roots also occasionally showcases the talent of local artists onstage.

“Everything has to do with location, location, location and availability,” Hammond said. “People want a place to go where they’re safe, and it’s a clean, safe environment where it’s reasonably priced.”

Ending the week are Sunday brunches, which include live music for those leaving church or waking up late from the night before. Hammond said Sundays are meant for socialization and enjoyment.

Just last month, Twisted Roots expanded to serve breakfast and lunch on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., respectively. The Instagram post also announced the luxury lounge and sports bar’s arrival on DoorDash.

On Tuesday, June 16, Twisted Roots will have its first official ribbon-cutting ceremony from 11 a.m. to noon. Hammond said the event is meant as a hard opening, not only for his team but also for the customers who have consistently supported them, even when there were only a handful inside the establishment.

“It’s been a roller coaster for us downtown,” Hammond said. “People don’t really understand that we’re there … So the ribbon-cutting will give us an opportunity to say … ‘Hey, look at us, we’re here.’”

This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 2:44 PM.