Metro area record for longevity?

A recent post in another thread asked about shortest lived ventures. I started browsing through my notes and began to notice how many places I'd patronized had actually lasted so long. Putting this question for metro in case some place on the Sunny Side is a contender.
If Internet scuttlebutt is right, Miller's Cafeteria at 429 S. Second St. opened around 1898 and closed 100 years later in 1998. It's possible some eatery patronized by George Washington, etc., could have lasted till the late 19th century and made it under the wire to beat out Miller's before they even opened. But if Miller's really did operate when Grover Cleveland was President (please advise if this is erroneous), does Miller's as far as Forumites can determine reign as the longest? The English Grill is bucking around 90 years I think. Not sure about the Oak Room as the Seelbach has had multiple venues over the long haul.
Can any local history buffs shed some light on this?

[Robin Garr]

Can any local history buffs shed some light on this?

I'm not a history buff, Lonnie, but I think it's only multiple locations that bars Mazzoni's from the title. Certainly the longest-lived restaurant family over several venues.

Cottage Inn goes back to the '30s under multiple owners. Kaelin's held out under the original family from 1930s until the early 2000s. Mike Linnig's legitimately goes back to the postwar era, and they've recently extended their resume a bit by tacking on the family's predecessor produce stand.

The Oakroom is problematic because it was dark and shuttered for many years during the Seelbach's "down" period, but with that asterisk it still might be a contender. Same, only more so, for the English Grill.

I guess Hasenour's was around for quite a while, too, but I'm not sure how far back it started.

Oh, and don't forget Bauer's! "Since 1870" was part of its name, and it held on until the late 1980s.

Pat's steak house?

[Robin Garr]

Pat's steak house?

Not all that old under the present ownership by Pat Francis, which goes back to the '80s, I think. If we count it concurrent with the old Min's - which seems fair given that nothing has changed very much - then it might be a contender. I really don't know when Min's got its start, but it was around when I was in college, and that was a long time ago.

John E's with its predecessor Bill Boland's also covered quite a stretch, although I think Boland's was post WWII. (Sadly, I saw that the old John E's/Boland's building was unceremoniously torn down recently, by the way, somehow without attracting any publicity until it was too late.)

Another contender, depending again on how we define it, is Buck's, which has established longevity in the Mayflower, a dining room with a long, colorful history. Again back in my college days, the Mayflower dining room (forget the name it went under) was a top spot for fine dining. Then there were about a dozen quick but mostly interesting eateries (enshrined on a sign near the door) before Buck's settled in.

Cunninghams. In continuous operation since 1870 according to them. Closed for a short time and moved because of a fire.

Kunzs ????

No record-breaker, but Check's is no slouch in the longevity department.

We had a pretty good run at Kunz's 1892 to 2007... all on 4Th street ... And hope to be one day ...

We had a pretty good run at Kunz's 1892 to 2007... all on 4Th street ... And hope to be one day ...

Wow, Fred- that's really impressive! As a non- native I only knew the last iteration of Kunz's at 4th and Market. What was your family's original business, and where on Fourth street?

Deb

We had a pretty good run at Kunz's 1892 to 2007... all on 4Th street ... And hope to be one day ...

Wow, Fred- that's really impressive! As a non- native I only knew the last iteration of Kunz's at 4th and Market. What was your family's original business, and where on Fourth street?

Deb

http://digital.library.louisville.edu/c ... 138/rec/17

Note lower right .. "the Dutchman" aka "home of the copper hood"

Cool, Steve! So about where is this on the current 4th street?- I don't know either of the other named businesses.

Deb

Cool, Steve! So about where is this on the current 4th street?- I don't know either of the other named businesses.

Deb

http://books.google.com/books?id=pXbYITw4ZesC&pg=PA491&lpg=PA491&dq=kunz%27s+restaurant%2Blouisville+encyclopedia&source=bl&ots=byCdsLIbUi&sig=vIXVk6sCuPyILugJedtTSfd0awM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=jFcnUuPHPNOqsQSdtIDoDQ&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=kunz%27s%20restaurant%2Blouisville%20encyclopedia&f=false

This is from the encyclopedia of Louisville .. short history of Kunzs. Very good place. I was there quite a few times before they moved to 4th and Market.

http://digital.library.louisville.edu/c ... 138/rec/17

Note lower right .. "the Dutchman" aka "home of the copper hood"

That link is to a great site: U of L's Ekstrom library basement photo archives has a very nice collection accessible for free in person or online.

The silhouette of that Kunz's location is still visible along the sides of the "canyon walls" which frame a parking lot.

Kunz's was on Fourth between Chestnut and Walnut (what's now Muhammad Ali Blvd).

Great picture Jeff ....Thanks
We lost almost everything when The Dutchman burned ....so any pictures are appreciated

I just purchased the Old Louisville Tavern at 4th and Gaulbert. From my research there has been a restaurant at the location since at least the late 1920's. It started as the Railroad Smoker in the rear of an A&P grocery and then after the 37 flood took over the front space and operated as The Tavern since then.

The Burger Boy Diner dates back to at least the late 60's under various burger/diner iterations.