The long-awaited Ohio Brewing Co. is finally opening.

The Akron restaurant and bar — the first brewpub in the city in nearly seven years and possibly the first downtown since Prohibition — will begin serving food and craft beer Sunday.

''We're happy to be here in the heart of the city trying to be part of the revitalization of downtown Akron,'' managing partner and head of brewing operations Chris Verich said Friday. ''There's no place we'd rather be.''

The brewpub, featuring food from Damon's Grille and Ohio Brewing, is located on the first floor of the former O'Neil's department store. The South Main Street building was donated to the city after the store closed in 1989.

Akron spent more than $30 million in the late 1990s renovating it into office and retail space.

Sandwiched between Lock 3 Park and Canal Park, the six-story building is now filled with employees, including firms Roetzel & Andress and Ernst & Young, and restaurants, Ohio Brewing and the Barley House.

''We believe the city's investment in this property has been a wise choice,'' Deputy Mayor for Administration David Lieberth said. ''We preserved a historic property and
filled it with people.''

The city also is pleased to welcome a brewpub.

''It's something we haven't had downtown and complements perfectly the other eating establishments,'' Lieberth said. ''We want downtown to be a destination for dining.''

Akron had announced the Ohio Brewing deal in 2003, but it has taken years for it to open.

''This is a dream come true,'' Verich said during a tour of the 16,000-square-foot restaurant, which includes bar and restaurant areas, a mezzanine for private parties, 25 flat-screen televisions, and a coffee shop.

The bar area features ceramic tile and a ceiling full of flags from brewing nations around the country. The flags give the bar a ''European beer hall atmosphere,'' Verich said.

There will be seven beers made on premise on tap, ranging from a stout to a kolsch to an India pale ale. The brewpub also will offer growlers — larger jugs of beer to take home.

''At least one of our beers will be your favorite,'' said Verich, who also serves as vice president of the newly formed Ohio Craft Brewers Association. ''We're trying to bring wonderful microbrewed beer and great food to Akron.''

Dennis Holland, a former brewer at the well-respected Great Lakes Brewing in Cleveland in the early 1990s, is the head brewer. He helped create some of Great Lakes' award-winning recipes.

Ohio Brewing already has plans to sponsor an Octoberfest event this fall at Lock 3. And Verich is interested in offering his beer to other establishments and bottling in the future.

Ohio Brewing will have a limited menu for Mother's Day andthen open with the full selection Monday.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. each day starting Monday. The coffee shop will open at 7 a.m.

Akron is now home to three breweries. The others, Thirsty Dog and Hoppin' Frog, are not brewpubs, which feature food. Nationwide, there were nearly 1,000 brewpubs operating last year with 48 new ones opening, according to the Brewers Association in Boulder, Colo.

For more details about Ohio Brewing, call 330-376-3008.