Rike’s history lives on through Oakwood reindeer
Dr. Samia Borchers has cherished the decorative deer for nearly 30 years
Even though the building that housedRike’sindowntownDayton was demolished 21 years ago, the iconic department store’s holiday memories are preserved through the Rike’sWonderlandWindows at the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Center, built on the very site where Rike’s once stood, at the cornerofSecondandMain streets. The annual display of the re-imagined Rike’s holiday windows in the Schuster’sWintergarden, traditionally part of the DaytonHoliday Festival, was held virtually this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The history of Rike’s also lives on at Christmastime through Dr. SamiaBorchers, a local dermatologist and Oakwood residentwho has a private practice on Far Hills Avenue inKettering. Through her family, she also hasmultiple connections to the history of former businesses and the buildings that housedthemindowntownDayton.
Borchersrecalled avisit toRike’s around 1980where she could see the reindeer in a window decorated for Christmas next to the bakery window area. “It was in front of a crosswalk that went to Elder-Beerman, which was just
across from Rike’s at Courthouse Square. The window displaywas awinterwonderland scene of snow and glitter with the reindeer taking center stage. It was breathtaking!”
Samia’s husband, the late Dr. William Borchers, a local dentist, first had an office in Oakwood and then on East Stroop Road in Kettering before passing away in 2018.
“William’s family owned Borchers Ford, which was in business until 1979. His grandfather started the first car dealership around 1905 when everyone rode horses. They had an elevated showroom so people could ride by with their horses and look inside at the cars,” she said.
The formerBorchers Ford dealership building at 360 S. Main St. was constructed in 1928 and designed by the Pretzinger& Pretzinger architecturalfirmfeaturingaterracotta facadeonits storefront. Today, the building is part of a U-Haul storage facility.
In 1980, Borchers and her husbandWilliam visitedNew York City during Christmastime.
“We sawRockefeller Center and admired the majestic reindeerdisplayedthere. This reminded me of the indoor reindeer at Rike’s, which aremade of grapevines and sprayedwhite with silver glitter all throughout. They are truly delicate, graceful and gorgeous,” said Borchers.
The auction to liquidate the assets of Rike’s, which became Shillito-Rike’s as a result of the company’s first merger in 1982 and Lazarus throughasecondonein1986, washeldaweekbeforeChristmas from Dec. 18-20, 1991, since the last day of business atLazarus before closing permanentlywas scheduled for Jan. 31, 1992.
Borchers, who was nine monthspregnant at the time, went to the auction on the building’s sixth floor with her father, thelateEliasWarwar, a tailor since age 19 and owner ofWarwar CustomTailors in downtownDayton from1959 until his retirement in 1998. His first location was in the Knott Building (Centre City), Main Street across from the Old Court House and First Streetaroundthecornerfrom the Victoria Theatre. Borchersadded,“Hehadahugefollowingmakingcustom-made suits for Daytonians. People still mention that they wear his timeless suits.”
Warwar passed away in 2005.
Heronlydesirewastohave the winning bid for the Rike’s reindeer.“Wewaitedthrough all the mannequins and miscellaneous items that sold, Borchers said. “Finally, the reindeerwere putupfor auction. There wasn’t thatmuch bidding on them. I got them for about $800. I was absolutely thrilled and happy to have them. And I preserved Dayton history!”
Borchers’ daughter Christina, now a doctor in the Pharmacology & Toxicology Department at Wright StateUniversity’s Boonshoft School ofMedicine, wasborn onDec. 26, 1991, aweek after the auction. The reindeer were supposed to be picked up around that time frame. “I got a call from the auctioneer a little annoyed that I neglected it. I explained to him that I got distracted and had a baby twoweeks early.
He thought that was a good excuse,” she said.
Borchers’ home, Bough Bend, located in Oakwood’s Hatcher Hills neighborhood, was built in 1919 for Martin and Isabel Kuntz in the English Tudor Revival architectural style by Schenck and Williams, the same firm that designed Hawthorn Hill for the Wright family. Martin’s father, Peter Kuntz Sr. was thefounderofthePeterKuntz Company, a family lumber dynasty headquartered in Dayton during the 19th and 20th centuries. This home was given the name Bough Bend since the shape of the building resembles a bend in a branch.
In2019, notonlydidBough Bendcelebrateits100thanniversary, it was also featured on the Oakwood Historical Society’sSecondAnnualHoliday Home tour on Dec. 7 of that year. TheRike’s reindeer wereondisplayinthehome’s library, a 1922 addition that has been called the “most beautiful room in Dayton.”
Thereindeerhavechanged onlyeversoslightlysincetheir purchase in 1991. “The only difference is that I place a red felt ornament on the nose of one of them for a Rudolph effect,” said Borchers.
Asidefrombeingondisplay in Bough Bend’s library, the Rike’s reindeer have made a couple appearances outside of the home since Borchers acquired them.
“My sister-in-law helped with a Dayton Ballet fundraiser called the Nutcracker Ball in 1995 held at the Dayton Arcade. That was when thereindeerwererequested,” said Borchers. They were used asdecor in the Arcade’s Rotunda Building during the ball. The last public event before the Arcade closed indefinitelywas “HollyDays” in 1993. However, the facility was rented out occasionally forprivate events such as the Nutcracker Ball. TheArcade is currentlyunderredevelopment and closing in on the completion of the project’s first phase of construction.
Borcherscontinued,“Ialso hadthemondisplay for a few Christmasseasons atmy dermatologyofficebaywindow.”
This year, the Rike’s reindeer will be keeping a low profile for the holidays. “Last year, therewere 550 people throughourhomeinoneday for the Oakwood Historical SocietyHolidayHome Tour. This year, therewill be four! We plan toleave the reindeer uponthethirdfloor, although they greeted us when we brought down our Christmas lights,” said Borchers.
Couldthefutureholdmore public appearances for the Rike’s reindeer?
“We’ve thought about donating them someday to goalong with the other Rike’s displays, but for nowwould consider loaning them to responsibleparties,” shesaid.
“Christina was born on December 26th and grewup seeing the reindeer,” Borchers said. “She says I tell her the same story about getting them fromRike’s every year the same time as her. Future generations might ask, What is Rike’s?” Ifanyonehashistorical photo(s) ofthe Rike’s reindeerfeaturedinthis story fromthe indoorwindow displaysandarewilling to sharethem, pleasecontact contributingphotographer andwriterTomGilliamat tomgilliamphotography@ gmail.com.