Dayton’s famous Rike’s Sloppy Joe sandwiches on Dayton Woman’s Club menu

One of Rike's Department Store's longest-running holiday traditions began with the creation of an animated Christmas window display.  Submitted photo.

Credit: HANDOUT

Credit: HANDOUT

One of Rike's Department Store's longest-running holiday traditions began with the creation of an animated Christmas window display. Submitted photo.

For some people in Dayton, hearing “Rike’s” might not stir any reaction at all. For others, however, Rike’s Department Store is a treasure trove of childhood memories from long ago.

Formerly located where the Schuster Center stands today, the downtown Rike’s may be gone physically, but still remains a source of many people’s fond memories. One of those memories may be preserved best in the taste buds of an older generation.

Rike’s had dining areas on the fifth floor and on the mezzanine of the store. One of the Rike’s menu staples was the Sloppy Joe - a long gone and missed recipe.

However, at least one place in Dayton has kept the sloppy tradition alive.

Visitors take in the windows of Rike's department store in 1952.  Frederik Rike, owner of the Rike-Kumler Co., moved the Christmas window displays from New York City to downtown Dayton in 1945. DAYTON DAILY NEWS FILE

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The Dayton Woman's Club Dining Room is still serving up the beloved sandwiches, made-to-order, thanks to a passed-down recipe from one of the club's former members. It's believed the member was a former Rike's employee.

An elegant setting, the Woman’s Club Dining Room is open for lunch to the public on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

So whether you’ve lived long enough to taste the famous Sloppy Joe for yourself, or word-of-mouth lore about the sandwiches has become too much to handle, there’s still an opportunity to try one decades later.

Dayton Woman’s Club is located at 225 N. Ludlow St., Dayton

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