Lyric Piano Company/Burger Chef - RedsZone.com - Cincinnati Reds Fans' Home for Baseball Discussion

vaticanplum · 12-12-2006, 06:43 PM

There is a building in downtown Cincinnati, on Race between 6th and 7th, that I'm quite taken with. I was wondering if anybody knew anything about it. It's across from the old Shilito's department store and has a very ornate white facade with the words "Lyric Piano Company" engraved above the second floor, and an inset balcony on the top floor

A google search for the LPC turned up just two results: a mention in a Northern Illinois university page (the college owns the records of the Wurlitzer Piano Company, which apparently contain the meeting minutes of the Lyric Company from 1909-1937), and this article published in CityBeat in 2002:

http://www.citybeat.com/2002-11-21/blight.shtml

An interesting thing to note here: the article says that Hardee's signed a 99-year lease which is due to expire in 2049. (And seriously, as a side note here, what brainiac thinks it's good business to give a 99-year lease -- a STABILIZED one -- to HARDEE'S? Has to be the least appetizing "food" establishment ever. Does it even still exist?) Anywho, the point is that the Hardee's there, while still bearing a visible sign, is boarded up, so something must have happened since this article. Either the restaurant just closed and Hardee's corporation still owns it (if it still exists) or somebody bought out the lease, as the article mentions being an option at the time. If the latter, I can't see that anything has been done with it, at least from the outside of the building. Still in pretty bad shape, no visible signs of management, and this is with the Shilito's building having been converted into condos.

I'm going to do some more research, but I know we have some city history buffs here so I wanted to see if anybody knew anything about it offhand. It is a really beautiful building, and I am very curious to know whether anything is being done with it, and also what it was. I mean, two google results for this piano company that was still around as recently as sixty years ago? Has anybody heard of it? Anybody got a Lyric piano in a basement somewhere?

If it's for sale, I say we have the world's biggest bake sale and turn it into a sound studio, for historical reverence and to liven Cincinnat's arts community, with maybe a baseball card trading shop on the first floor.

vaticanplum · 12-12-2006, 06:57 PM

Hmm. From a little more google searching it appears to have once been a Burger Chef (what the flip is a Burger Chef?), and Burger Chef owned the building until it sold it to Hardee's last year, then just last month Hardee's sold it to a couple for $150,000. Dang, my baseball card sound studio and I just missed it.

I think this picture is of the back of it.

I realize I'm talking to myself.

Falls City Beer · 12-12-2006, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vaticanplum

Hmm. From a little more google searching it appears to have once been a Burger Chef (what the flip is a Burger Chef?), and Burger Chef owned the building until it sold it to Hardee's last year, then just last month Hardee's sold it to a couple for $150,000. Dang, my baseball card sound studio and I just missed it.

I think this picture is of the back of it.

I realize I'm talking to myself.

You don't remember Burger Chef?!!!

Holy crap. The Mariner Platter!!!!!!

Chip R · 12-12-2006, 07:04 PM

Burger Chef! What, no Jeff?

Hardee's is still around but I thought they were merging with Carl's Jr. and all the restaurants were gona be Carl's Jr.s but I still see Hardee's around.

RFS62 · 12-12-2006, 07:07 PM

Falls City Beer · 12-12-2006, 07:08 PM

Btw, that is an awesome building. I vaguely remember it.

vaticanplum · 12-12-2006, 07:09 PM

I find it fitting somehow that I'm looking for architectural/musical/historical information, but everybody jumps all over the freaking Burger Chef.

It was seriously a big thing? What, like a chain?

Falls City Beer · 12-12-2006, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vaticanplum

I find it fitting somehow that I'm looking for architectural/musical/historical information, but everybody jumps all over the freaking Burger Chef.

It was seriously a big thing? What, like a chain?

Oh, don't be a pooh!

Yeah kind of a rinky-dink chain in the midwest and midsouth (Tennessee). Defunctus est.

Chip R · 12-12-2006, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vaticanplum

I find it fitting somehow that I'm looking for architectural/musical/historical information, but everybody jumps all over the freaking Burger Chef.

Yachtzee · 12-12-2006, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vaticanplum

I find it fitting somehow that I'm looking for architectural/musical/historical information, but everybody jumps all over the freaking Burger Chef.

It was seriously a big thing? What, like a chain?

When I was a kid in Lima, Burger Chef was bigger than McDonalds and Burger King. They had Star Wars posters and Cincinnati Reds stuff!

westofyou · 12-12-2006, 07:18 PM

My wifes GS troop went on a field trip to Burger Chef, my friends first job was at the BC.. his first night the manager gave him a salt shaker and told him to kill all the slugs in the parking lot.

vaticanplum · 12-12-2006, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by westofyou

I see it, it's a chef's hat. Or a spaceship. Or a house. Or a cupcake.

You know what it is not, though? A piano company.

The fact that that building housed and is apparently best-known for that establishment is just kind of what I enjoy about this city. Its full value of berserkity has yet to really be appreciated on a global scale, I think.

RANDY IN INDY · 12-12-2006, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by westofyou

My wifes GS troop went on a field trip to Burger Chef, my friends first job was at the BC.. his first night the manager gave him a salt shaker and told him to kill all the slugs in the parking lot.

That brings back a lot of memories. There was one on 5th Avenue in Huntington, WV in the late 60's/early 70's that looked a lot like that one. I always loved to go there to get a fish sandwich, fries, and coke.

registerthis · 12-13-2006, 10:36 AM

VP-

I don't know if the building you're wondering about is listed here, but I've found Emporis to be a great website for information on buildings and skyscrapers. They have a database on every major city in the world. The link to all o fthe bulding listings for Cincinnati is below, perhaps if you scroll through you'll find the building you're wondering about. Hope this is helpful!

http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/ci/bu/s...t=2&ht=2&sro=1

westofyou · 12-12-2006, 07:19 PM

12-12-2006, 06:43 PM	#1
vaticanplum Has big taste Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 6,704	Lyric Piano Company/Burger Chef There is a building in downtown Cincinnati, on Race between 6th and 7th, that I'm quite taken with. I was wondering if anybody knew anything about it. It's across from the old Shilito's department store and has a very ornate white facade with the words "Lyric Piano Company" engraved above the second floor, and an inset balcony on the top floor A google search for the LPC turned up just two results: a mention in a Northern Illinois university page (the college owns the records of the Wurlitzer Piano Company, which apparently contain the meeting minutes of the Lyric Company from 1909-1937), and this article published in CityBeat in 2002: http://www.citybeat.com/2002-11-21/blight.shtml An interesting thing to note here: the article says that Hardee's signed a 99-year lease which is due to expire in 2049. (And seriously, as a side note here, what brainiac thinks it's good business to give a 99-year lease -- a STABILIZED one -- to HARDEE'S? Has to be the least appetizing "food" establishment ever. Does it even still exist?) Anywho, the point is that the Hardee's there, while still bearing a visible sign, is boarded up, so something must have happened since this article. Either the restaurant just closed and Hardee's corporation still owns it (if it still exists) or somebody bought out the lease, as the article mentions being an option at the time. If the latter, I can't see that anything has been done with it, at least from the outside of the building. Still in pretty bad shape, no visible signs of management, and this is with the Shilito's building having been converted into condos. I'm going to do some more research, but I know we have some city history buffs here so I wanted to see if anybody knew anything about it offhand. It is a really beautiful building, and I am very curious to know whether anything is being done with it, and also what it was. I mean, two google results for this piano company that was still around as recently as sixty years ago? Has anybody heard of it? Anybody got a Lyric piano in a basement somewhere? If it's for sale, I say we have the world's biggest bake sale and turn it into a sound studio, for historical reverence and to liven Cincinnat's arts community, with maybe a baseball card trading shop on the first floor. Attached Thumbnails __________________ There is no such thing as a pitching prospect. Last edited by vaticanplum; 12-12-2006 at 07:16 PM. Reason: attempt to lure more people into thread

12-12-2006, 06:57 PM	#2
vaticanplum Has big taste Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 6,704	Re: Lyric Piano Company Hmm. From a little more google searching it appears to have once been a Burger Chef (what the flip is a Burger Chef?), and Burger Chef owned the building until it sold it to Hardee's last year, then just last month Hardee's sold it to a couple for $150,000. Dang, my baseball card sound studio and I just missed it. I think this picture is of the back of it. I realize I'm talking to myself. Attached Thumbnails __________________ There is no such thing as a pitching prospect.

12-12-2006, 07:04 PM	#4
Chip R Rally Onion! Join Date: May 2000 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 33,221	Re: Lyric Piano Company Burger Chef! What, no Jeff? Hardee's is still around but I thought they were merging with Carl's Jr. and all the restaurants were gona be Carl's Jr.s but I still see Hardee's around. __________________ The Rally Onion wants 150 fans before Opening Day. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rally-...24872650873160

12-12-2006, 07:07 PM	#5
RFS62 Hey Cubs Fans Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: New York Posts: 16,567	Re: Lyric Piano Company __________________ "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." ~ Mark Twain

12-12-2006, 07:08 PM	#6
Falls City Beer Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 24,098	Re: Lyric Piano Company Btw, that is an awesome building. I vaguely remember it.

12-12-2006, 07:09 PM	#7
vaticanplum Has big taste Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 6,704	Re: Lyric Piano Company I find it fitting somehow that I'm looking for architectural/musical/historical information, but everybody jumps all over the freaking Burger Chef. It was seriously a big thing? What, like a chain? __________________ There is no such thing as a pitching prospect.

12-12-2006, 07:18 PM	#11
westofyou breath Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: PDX Posts: 39,356	Re: Lyric Piano Company/Burger Chef My wifes GS troop went on a field trip to Burger Chef, my friends first job was at the BC.. his first night the manager gave him a salt shaker and told him to kill all the slugs in the parking lot.

12-13-2006, 10:36 AM	#14
registerthis Harry Chiti Fan Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 5,872	Re: Lyric Piano Company/Burger Chef VP- I don't know if the building you're wondering about is listed here, but I've found Emporis to be a great website for information on buildings and skyscrapers. They have a database on every major city in the world. The link to all o fthe bulding listings for Cincinnati is below, perhaps if you scroll through you'll find the building you're wondering about. Hope this is helpful! http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/ci/bu/s...t=2&ht=2&sro=1 __________________ We'll burn that bridge when we get to it.

12-12-2006, 07:19 PM	#15
westofyou breath Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: PDX Posts: 39,356	Re: Lyric Piano Company/Burger Chef

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