Thursday, December 02, 1999
Stenger's owner tosses in the towel
BY JIM KNIPPENBERG
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Can this possibly be true? Stenger's Cafe without Leo Sunderman? Something everybody in the world thought would never happen.
Stenger's is the wildly diverse Over-the-Rhine restaurant where a tableful of CEOs sits next to a flock of street people next to ladies who lunch. Owner Sunderman has presided here, cooking up blue plate specials — pot roast, sauerbraten, meat loaf — since March 13, 1947.
It has been for sale since May — “I'll be 75 and my feet are tired,” Sunderman says — but the right offer didn't come along 'til a few weeks ago in the person of Doug Boots, co-owner of Darryl's Diner in Springfield Township.
“It became official Monday, Doug took over Wednesday and my last day is Saturday,” Sunderman said. “But everything stays the same — servers, recipes, most of the menu, though I'm sure they'll add things.”
So there's a party Saturday to send Sunderman out in style, right? Wrong. He's not like that: “Haven't even thought about it. I guess I'll wish everyone well and walk out the door.”
Next stop? Golf, five grandchildren and a bit of travel.
GOT IT WRONG: Hmmm. Looks like the rumor mill blew it this time.
For weeks, don't you know, word has been that Bette Midler would headline the annual Christmas party Carl Lindner throws for his 71 gazillion employees.
Odd rumor, that: Midler's bawdy humor and cleavage all over the place are a little edgy for a camp that has traditionally brought Paul Anka, Dolly Parton, middle of the road types like that.
Nevertheless, bunches of people believed it and got plenty pumped.
Not so: American Financial types are telling us the headliner is mellow, easy listening saxman Kenny G. The parties are Monday and Tuesday at Music Hall.
TRIMMED UP: And this from our file marked Yea For Guys With An Idea Whose Time Has Come: Mark Reed.
Reed, a volunteer for AIDS Volunteers of Northern Kentucky (AVNK), has a way you can get a haircut, mini-massage and manicure, sip a bloody Mary and Christmas shop all at the same time. In a saloon, no less.
Cutathon, he calls it. Originally, the idea was to ask stylists to donate a few hours cutting hair cheap ($5 a pop) for HIV positive people who couldn't afford full price. That was five years ago at Rosie's, a bar in Covington.
Then Reed and Rosie owner Carl Fox added a Christmas bazaar full of crafts, Christmas decorations and yard sale stuff, all donated.
Come another year, they added manicures. Then reflexology, all the while boosting the corps of stylists (Paragon, Salon LA, Saks, City Salon) and size of the bazaar.
By now, the annual Cutathon is one big Northern Kentucky party. So much so that Reed and Fox start fielding calls in September: “It's turned in to one of those things now. Something you'd be afraid not to do because people would come after you. It's now a social occasion,” Reed says.
Fox, by the way, has sold Rosie's and moved Cutathon to his new Crazy Fox at 901 Washington Ave., Newport. It's noon-7 p.m. Sunday.
Knip's Eye View appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Have an item to report? Call Jim Knippenberg at 768-8513; fax: 768-8330.
