Rike Kumler Co.

Rike-Kumler Company

Former type	Department store
Industry	Retail
Fate	Merged with Shillito's
Successor	Shillito Rikes (1982-1986) Lazarus (1986-2003) Lazarus-Macy's (2003-2005) Macy's (2005-present)
Founded	March 9, 1853
Defunct	1982
Headquarters	Dayton, Ohio
Products	Clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, and housewares.
Parent	Federated Department Stores, Inc.
Website	None

One of several restored Rike’s department store animated Christmas window displays, on exhibit at the Fifth Third Bank “Wintergarden Wonderland” in the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center (former site of Rike's main store), Dayton, Ohio, taken December 8, 2013

The Rike-Kumler Company (commonly known as Rike's) was an American department store in Dayton, Ohio. In 1959, Rike's became part of the Federated Department Stores conglomerate.^[1] In 1982, Federated merged Rike's with its Cincinnati unit, Shillito's, in order to form Shillito Rikes.^[2] In 1986, Federated merged Shillito Rikes into the Columbus-based Lazarus chain,^[2] which, in 2005 was consolidated with most other Federated chains under the Macy's brand.

Rike's former main store in downtown Dayton is now the site of the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center.^[3][4]

Rike's was well known for its annual tradition of animated Christmas window displays. The animated figurines were preserved and have been displayed yearly during the Christmas season at the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center since its inception.^[5]

References

External links

• Wright State University Rike Historical Collection (includes brief company history)