A local Fostoria entertainment venue, In The Axe, is asking residents in Fostoria Precinct 3‑B to sign a petition so they can place Sunday beer sales on the May ballot and secure Sunday alcohol privileges.

The business is calling on the community to visit the venue, check their voter precinct, and add signatures so they can expand hours and “have some more fun” on Sundays with alcohol service as part of their experience.

Yet In The Axe’s alcohol strategy raises serious questions about what “supporting local” really means in Fostoria.

Despite being located right next to Urban Woody Brewery, a truly local craft brewery and natural collaborator, In The Axe has chosen not to carry Urban Woody’s beer. Instead, they have opted to feature and promote beer from an outside craft producer, Oncore Brewing, which is based out of town. That decision sends a clear message: when it comes to turning Sunday alcohol sales into profit, an out‑of‑town brewery is being prioritized over the neighboring Fostoria brewery that shares the same community and the same customers.

From a cross‑promotion and brand‑building perspective, the missed opportunity is enormous. When local venues and local breweries partner, both benefit: the brewery gains tap exposure, and the venue gains a unique “only in Fostoria” beverage identity that can’t be replicated elsewhere. Joint events, co‑branded nights, and shared marketing draw people downtown and strengthen the city’s reputation as a destination. Choosing to bypass the neighboring brewery in favor of an outside brand undercuts that ecosystem and weakens the narrative that purchasing from the business is an investment back into Fostoria.

For many residents, a business that openly seeks community signatures and votes while not carrying its neighbor’s craft beer may feel like making a bold, even insulting statement.

It can come across as telling the public that the local brewery next door is not “good enough” for their taps, even as they ask those same local residents to show up, sign, and eventually vote so the business can sell more beer on Sundays. In a small city where every dollar matters and local pride is a major selling point, choosing outsider beer over a neighboring brewery is more than just a portfolio decision; it is a public stance that risks alienating Urban Woody Brewery, its supporters, and community members who believe “buy local” should mean supporting the businesses right next door.