[Fading Advertisements] Forgotten Frisch's

Renovations rounding out the redevelopment of a downtown block bring some old signs back to life, each with their own unique story.

Sixth St. between the rails and roads of Main and Walnut Streets is an interesting collection of buildings in downtown Cincinnati. The western end of the block features modern construction and an upscale, popular restaurant known as Nada while the rest of the block still features its historic building stock. The high-end, critically acclaimed restaurants of Boca and Sotto are built into renovated, preserved structures along with local watering hole, Igby’s. On the block’s eastern end, a stone building rounds the corner, featuring subtle details carved into the facade which date back to 1920. There’s offices on the top floor, and a jeweler on the bottom which advertises diamonds and Rolexes in the windows. Nestled between the restaurants, retail, and bar sits two more buildings with a pair of dumpsters and a chain link fence in front of them. They’d been empty for awhile, the smell of urine occasionally wafting out of the nearby alleyways. These two historic buildings are in the process of  joining the structures around them, renovated into a better future. I walk this block all the time and as I went by yesterday morning, I noticed something interesting as the construction workers tossed debris out of the windows and into the dumpsters below: there was a sign.

This sign isn’t quite like all the hand painted, fading advertisements seen on this website and in the book, but it’s a “ghost sign” none the less. And a very interesting one at that. A beloved local restaurant and brand, there hasn’t been a Frisch’s Big Boy in Downtown Cincinnati for 13 years. The last one left in 2004 and I’m not sure if it was the one located here or not. The "retro" Frisch’s branding seen here appears a bit older than what the company has used in recent history. The oldest Google Street View photo shows an independent restaurant serving up breakfast (the “Rise and Shine Restaurant"), but the storefront has been mostly empty for the past several years.

Edit: This location was in fact the one that was open until 2004 according to this article.

- Google Street View circa 2007.

The two remaining buildings on the block are currently being renovated for residential use, but the bottom storefronts will be marketed as potential bar/restaurant space. Before the renovation, the Frisch’s sign was obscured by a blue awning. One seen here laying on the ground in rubble:

On the reverse side of the pale blue are the green and white stripes that used to represent the Frisch’s brand. The closed storefront next door was formerly a Benihana and then "Kiji," which by all accounts seemed to just be a Benihana without licensing the brand name.

When I went to edit these photos, I noticed yet another ghost sign. Looking closely, you can somewhat make out words above the Frisch's sign:

Looking at the entire frame and tracing the faded letters, you'll find:

Bolles Sporting Goods was indeed a previous occupant and this particular remnant isn't the only one on the building. Several stories up and facing the direction of traffic, you'll find another:

In the above image, look to the left and you'll see a former hand painted sign for Bolles. That sign is actually laid with another, one advertising Brendamour's Sporting Goods. The two athletic outfitters were born out of partnership, then split, and then later rejoined via an acquisition of one over the other, Brendamour's emerging the winner. While that sign and story are covered with more detail along other fading ads in the book, the Frisch's and Bolles signs above the entrance had been hiding beneath an awning this whole time.

The local sporting goods sellers completely went out of business in 1997 and I'm not entirely sure when exactly they left the location on Sixth St which dates back to the 1920's. What started originally as a motorcycle shop and even once had a gun range in the basement, the Bolles/Brendamour's store was once a downtown staple. I'd love to nail down a timeline and see if Frisch's came during or after Bolles/Brendamours occupancy of the building. It'd also be interesting to know if it was a full fledged "Big Boy" restaurant (delicious breakfast buffet and all) or just a "coffee shop" concept as the name implies.

If these old signs weren't enough for one building, there's still one more...

In case you can't quite make that out, here's a bit of what it says:

Unlike the Frisch's and Bolles signs, this one isn't nearly as clear aside from "The Cincinnati." The rest of the markings, highlighted in red, aren't particularly forthcoming:

Any guesses as to what came after "The Cincinnati?" How about an idea of when that Frisch's sign dates back to? If you've got an idea, I'd love to hear it. Shoot me an email or leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Edit: It seems probably that this sign may be referencing the Cincinnati Artistic Ironworks Manufacturing Co., but no one's come up with a definitive address for the company being at 6th St.

As other buildings on this block have been renovated, their fading advertisements have been kept. It'd be easy for the joint Bolles/Brendamour sign to stick around up to for years to come, but it'll be interesting to see what becomes of the Frisch's sign.

Donation to the local American Sign Museum?

Adorning the walls of a new coffee shop/restaurant to open in this space?

Maybe it can be repurposed into the next downtown Frisch's? The company is slated to open up a new Big Boy in early 2018, the first in over a decade and just a few blocks from where this sign was found.