Welcome to Somewhere Over the Rhine

A site dedicated to Cincinnati's Over the Rhine neighborhood.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

OTR without Kaldi's? I sure hope not!

This article pretty much speaks for itself. I'm not going to try to summarize it here. I've been hearing rumors of this for sometime now and I'm glad to finally hear the whole story about what is actually going on with one of OTR's most important staples, Kaldi's Coffee House.
I sincerely hope the current owner of Kaldi's and the building in which it resides can come to some sort of agreement that will keep this business going. For me and many people I know, Kaldi's holds more good memories than any other hang out spot in Cincinnati. Its the first place I ever visited in OTR and I've had more good times there than anywhere else in the city. Its been host to so many visiting artists, musician's, and interesting people over the years that it would be an absolute shame for OTR and all of Cincinnati to lose this business, especially now.
Not only should Kaldi's stay because of its critical place in local culture, but now is perhaps the WORST time for this business to leave OTR. There is so much potential for growth in the upcoming few years that it would be absolutely stupid to not just stay for a few more years and see how things progress. Remember, the proposed streetcar line is going to be traveling right down Main Street before turning onto 12th.
I really don't understand why people consider the current revitalization efforts on 12th and Vine to be completely separate from the already established Main Street district. Just because they are separated by a couple of city blocks doesn't mean they can't both benefit from each other. If you get lots of new residents moving in to the neighborhood, the businesses on Main are going to benefit directly. Kaldi's: Please at least hold out until the streetcars are built. If you still think the neighborhood is not worth holding on to then you can pack your bags and move. It is my belief, however, that the next few years are going to bring change to this neighborhood like its never seen before.

Do you have any good stories or memories of spending time at Kaldi's that you'd like to share? If so, please post them in the comments!

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