As more customers crave Buckeye Brownies, Akron company leaps to larger site

Buckeye Brownies' locally made, online-order signature sweets — three-layer treats that weigh a half-pound each — have become so popular that the company outgrew its original small production site.

So owner Zack Buckeye, who had converted the 200-square-foot garage at his West Akron home into his baking business, went looking for a new space for the operation.

Now that he's settled into a new location, the refrigerated storage area alone is bigger than his start-up spot.

Buckeye, 30, relocated earlier this year to a space near Circle K on Tallmadge Avenue in North Hill. Circle K used the more than 5,000-square-foot area as a bakery but stopped production during the COVID-19 pandemic. Circle K then used the area for storage until management decided to lease the space.

The new space was a boon for the business, Buckeye said. The ovens, which would easily cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase, were already in place, as was the refrigerated room and a walk-in freezer, which is used for storage.

"We don't freeze anything," Buckeye said.

As well as increasing his working space, Buckeye also was able to double his number of employees to eight full-time workers, including himself. He added that he is looking to hire even more people.

Buckeye said he and his staff alternate days of baking and packaging. On a typical day, they could make 650 of the company's layered brownies or blondies in the morning, then another 650 in the evening. In July, Buckeye Brownies also introduced muffin-sized brownies called Brownie Minis. Brownie cakes also are available.

The claim to fame for Buckeye Brownies was the addition of various toppings in each three-layer brownie and blondie. Toppings can include cookies, Pop Tarts, chocolates, candies, chocolate chips and even cereal.

Another advantage of the new location is that customers can pick up their orders in person, Buckeye said. In addition, the sweets can be purchased at Scalpers Bar and Grille at 5720 Mayfield Road in Lyndhurst and LeeAngelo's Pizza at 324 Aurora Commons Circle in Aurora.

Still, most orders are received online and shipped to customers.

"Our bread and butter is e-commerce," Buckeye said. "We can ship 320 to 340 orders on shipping days."

Before moving, Buckeye Brownies only shipped 200 to 220 orders at a time, he added. Today, the company averages about 2,500 orders a month, shipping all over the U.S. and overseas, including to Australia, Britain, Dubai and India. The brownies, due to their thickness, have a shelf life of about 10 days unrefrigerated.

"We are beating our records every month," Buckeye said, adding that the company makes six figures in sales.

The home business started officially in July 2019. Buckeye, who grew up in Twinsburg and graduated from Twinsburg High School in 2012, said he initially got the idea from friends who would enjoy his mother Jill's homemade layered brownies after bodybuilding competitions. Buckeye added that he still participates in bodybuilding.

"I took a year off to grow my business," he said. "But I plan to start competing again next year."

For details, visit https://buckeyebrownies.com online.

Reporter April Helms can be reached at ahelms@thebeaconjournal.com

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron's Buckeye Brownies moves to new home as demand for sweets grows