Perry401
105 posts
Oct 28, 2012
11:43 PM
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Does anyone have any stories about what it was like to work at the old Rike's building downtown? There are a lot of posts from the consumer's side, but I think it would be nice to hear from those who worked behind there. Most people I have talked with who worked there say it was a good place to work -- friendly co-workers, tolerable and fair supervisors, etc. What was it like to be a downtown Rike's employee?
The store was almost totally independent at it's height in the 1950's and 1960's. This means that they not only sold things, but did everything else required to run a store in-house. They used to prepare their own art-work and text for newspaper ads, displays for use inside and outside of the building, window dressers had to come up with appropriate sidewalk window displays for every sale and season. There were other people there too, keeping things running. People who worked in maintenance, janitorial work, delivery services, the various restaurants, etc.
What about the departments that few stores have now -- the clock shop or the book store or the oriental rug store? They sold stationary and personalized item like book plates, holiday cards, and even personalized books of matches. They had specialty stores that sold boyscout and girlscout uniforms and equipment, a coin and stamp collecting store, etc.
Does anyone remember or did they work in other behind the scenes positions like in the cash-register repair department, accounting, pricing, alterations, TV repair, fur cleaning and storage services, etc.
What about preparations for the big sales -- the White Day Sales and the Founder's Day Sale and of course the Downtown Dayton Days sales.
As an employee did you eat in the 9th floor employee's cafeteria and what food did you like there. Were you there during a major remodeling and/or expansion or department move? Did you participate in special programs in one of the auditoriums -- something the downtown store relocated and changed as time went on. Did anyone work taking orders over the phone? Did you have a dress code and did anyone get into trouble by not conforming?
Was anyone involved in the so called "teen advisory" board -- a group of high-school students (mostly girls) who were supposed to help the store appeal to the youth of the day by advising store buyers about fashion trends and the store management on how to make the Rike's facility more appealing to teens.
Were there any funny (or serious) stories about working in the Rike's building you would like to share?
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luv my dayton
165 posts
Oct 29, 2012
2:10 AM
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Seems like there should be plenty of these people out there as a large portion of Daytons population at some time or another worked part time when students or full time when becoming adults. Many of course are now deceased. Don't forget also the drivers who made home deliveries. Never heard any of my relatives complain about the place and miss the gaiety of the holiday seasons that took place there over the years. Malls have never been able to replicate a trip to downtown Dayton.
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cilla46
119 posts
Oct 29, 2012
8:52 AM
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In 1964 at the age of 17 I was hired to work in the marking department at Rike's.I made $1.25 an hour to start and thought that was wonderful!
The marking dept. was on the eighth floor.It was cavernous,noisy,dirty and loads of fun!Mostly women except for the men who loaded and unloaded the freight from the elevators.
I worked from 8am til 4pm with two 15 minute breaks and a half hour for lunch.The employee lunchroom served the same food as the restaurant but we did get a small price break.
My usual job was operating a pin machine.I stood in front of what resembled a drill press but was used to pin price tags onto merchandise.The little white tags were on a roll and the pins were on what resembled an ammo feed for a machine gun.I would place my piece to be priced onto a flat foot like on a sewing machine,step on a floor pedal and the tag and pin would all come together.After the piece was tagged it was tossed into a pile to be folded or hung for the floor.We did get a bonus if we completed more pieces than we were required to do each day.
I got to be pretty good and made a bonus of a few dollars almost every pay period.
I remember each morning having to go in the second street door because the store didn't open until nine.Several times David Rike would be on the same elevator he was very pleasant saying good morning and wishing us a good day.He had the most wonderful white hair and stood very erect.
I worked there for just under two years and enjoyed my job very much.
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Mark1984
7 posts
Nov 07, 2012
6:33 PM
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My Mom worked at Rike's back in the 50s. Down in the basement. Something to do with draperies, I think. When the store was open until 9 p.m. on Thursday(?), Mr. Rike would buy dinner at the cafeteria for some or maybe all employees working that night. She told me Mr. Rike remembered and called all employees by name. She worked there for a few years. Right up until right before my older sister came along. Her morning sickness was so bad, the only thing she could eat and would stay down was the chocolate cake from the bakery there. I think it was called Rinaldo's? I might be wrong. But I don't recall her saying anything negative about her time there.
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jfox68
54 posts
Nov 08, 2012
4:27 AM
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In the early 70's I worked in the Talbott Tower across Ludlow from Rikes. I had a friend who worked in the art dept at Rikes and I would go over to the Rikes employee cafeteria to eat lunch with him. I just acted like I belonged there and nobody ever said anything.
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luv my dayton
174 posts
Nov 13, 2012
7:41 AM
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NEVER WORKED THE DOWNTOWN STORE BUT DID WORK IN THE KETTERING STORE AND REALLY LIKED IT AND THOSE I WORKED WITH. DID MARKING AND RECEIVING ON COSMETICS AND FRAGRANCES. ALSO WORKED IN THEIR BIG WAREHOUSE ON EDWIN C. THAT WAS BACK IN LATE 70'S WHEN THE AREA WAS STILL THRIVING AND STILL ON THE MAP.SEEMS AS THOUGH EVERY FEMALE IN MY FAMILY AT SOME POINT IN TIME DID WORK THE STORE DOWNTOWN AND NEVER HEARD ANY COMPLAINTS FROM THEM EITHER. NO ONE WILL EVER FORGET RIKES AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE GROWTH OF DAYTON.
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Big Jon
1 post
Dec 04, 2012
5:36 AM
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I worked at Rike's in the Advertising Dept. from 1957 thru 1959. It trully was a "great place to work". My boss was Caroll Burtwanger and I worked as a proof runner. I'd take the ads prepared by two really pretty women (Ellen & ?) to the buyers in the building for approval. Really hated to leave but my job was thru Patterson C0-Op and since I graduated in 1958 couldn't stay on. Having moved from the Dayton area in 1964 I was shocked to see Rike Kumler Building downtown gone when I returned in 2000. Still had my old Rike's credit card at the time.
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JJCofMAINE
9 posts
Dec 12, 2012
11:13 AM
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My mom worked in the book department at Rikes, circa 1959. She used to sit at a desk, right near the escalator. She suffered a stroke, on the job, and was not able to return to work.
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theWiz
35 posts
Dec 17, 2012
5:33 AM
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I worked at Rikes downtown for 3 months (Jan-Mar 67) as a stockboy in the Interior Design dept. My boss was Helen Drummond, who was about 4'10" tall! We had a room with like a million bolts of various fabric that I had to keep organized--quite a job!!
There was a freight elevator operator named Harvey who looked like "Wild Bull Curry". A fellow named Elmer Webster (ALWAYS in a three-piece suit) I believe was the head of Display dept. Under him was Russ English, the first man I ever saw to wear eyeliner and mascara!! I used to take merchandise to an area called 'central wrap' to have it delivered to customers. I remember in the mornings we could go to the mezzanine and get free coffee and danish.
One day I was sent up to personnel to see a Mrs. Logan. She told me I was being moved to "Warehouse 3" which was on Jefferson by the library. I only worked there one day-I hurt my back and that was it for my employment at Rikes!!
My aunt was a store detective at Rikes for MANY years and had lots of stories.
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dls
1 post
Dec 17, 2012
7:30 AM
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My brother(Harry B.Stoner) worked at Rikes in the 60's. He did the Christmas windows with the animations, I think. I worked at Loew's in the late 50's.
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Cross
8 posts
Dec 27, 2012
10:03 PM
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Started working for Rike’s about 1974 as a Stockman in the Downtown Hardware, Dining Room Furniture Dept on the 4th floor. I moved to the Warehouse Store (Job Center today) as Head Stockman of store area after a couple of years. I then came back to the main store a year later promoted to a Maintenance Mechanic till the Downtown Store closed. I turned the lights out the last night the store was open Downtown.
I worked on every floor and back area of the Downtown Store and knew hundreds of employees through the years. My first job as a maintenance man in training was as the Downtown Store Lightman. I replaced lights, replaced ballast, blown fuses etc. My boss sent me to the Dayton Mall, Salem Mall and Kettering Store to help their crews catch up a couple times a year on lighting. Only went to Upper Valley maybe three times. None of our people went to the Oxford store as it was independent.
David Rike was a wonderful man and it was a sad day when he sold the stores. My mother would act as he secretary sometimes when his secretary went on vacation in the mid 60’s before he turned over complete control.
He was taught him well to take care of his employees which David did when he was in charge. His father taught him by example such as bringing in a doctor for employee’s families once a month on a Sunday in the late 20’s and 30’s and paying the full cost.
We had two store nurses and a store hospital before Federated took over completely. If you got sick at work and had worked 3 1/2 hours that day, confirmed by a nurse you were sent home with a full day credit of pay.
David loaned several employee’s cash to help them or a family member get a hospital operation at no interest taking a tiny amount out weekly of their pay till it was paid off. Rike’s employees were paid in cash till around 1980.
The Downtown Store was made up of several buildings- The original 1912 building, the 1938 building, the 1948 filler building, 1955 building and the Miami Hotel.
The Wiz- I remember Harvey and was there the day he retired. A real nice guy.
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KB1967
8 posts
Jan 14, 2013
9:18 PM
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My husband's two aunts both worked at Rikes. One was a buyer in women's coats, the other in women's hats. His uncle was responsible for sitting up the window displays and my husband has memories of being with him while his work was being done.
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Rebecca Hawes
10 posts
Mar 31, 2014
3:02 PM
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I worked Loss Prevention in the Downtown Rikes store for about 6 months-I remember the mezzanine, the food, all of the different, interesting people; always something going on in or around the store. my Grandmother and I used to ride The Dayton bus to the downtown store when I was 12 and 13. We'd eat and shop there.
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