Another airport restaurant closes - KLUK this time...

“The city's decision came after a Cincinnati Health Department inspection that identified potential food safety risks in the restaurant's space on September 16, including exposed pipes and a cracked sink in the kitchen, rusted and chipping storage shelves, water and debris collecting near the dish machine and general cleanliness concerns, according to the Health Department's letter.

It's a complete shock," Kirby Brakvill, who has owned Sky Galley since 1999, told The Enquirer. [The meetings with the city] went great from my perspective. I'd love to stay. My employees love it there, I love it there, my regulars love it." “

Then Kirby clean the damn place up. I suspect this was not Kirby’s first run in with the health department.
 
I've only eaten there about five hundred times, having had based my plane at KLUK until I sold it. It's sad that the city wants to replace a restaurant that's been in business for two decades—with a restaurant.
The 'health concerns' are very minor, if you're familiar with the food service industry; I'm guessing that someone on the board has a cousin that wants to start a restaurant. That airport is loaded with politics.
 
That's too bad, I've flown in there a bunch of times. I hope Kenny is wrong, and that this isn't crony capitalism writ large. I wouldn't bet on it though.

Kinda dumb actually. Airport restaurants are tough hereabouts, not all of them work. They had one that worked, a rare thing.
 
Kenny Phillips said:
I've only eaten there about five hundred times, having had based my plane at KLUK until I sold it. It's sad that the city wants to replace a restaurant that's been in business for two decades—with a restaurant.
The 'health concerns' are very minor, if you're familiar with the food service industry; I'm guessing that someone on the board has a cousin that wants to start a restaurant. That airport is loaded with politics.
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I got a funny feeling this was the City smacking Kirby on the head and in the end he will make improvements and stay.
 
Clip4 said:
“The city's decision came after a Cincinnati Health Department inspection that identified potential food safety risks in the restaurant's space on September 16, including exposed pipes and a cracked sink in the kitchen, rusted and chipping storage shelves, water and debris collecting near the dish machine and general cleanliness concerns, according to the Health Department's letter.

It's a complete shock," Kirby Brakvill, who has owned Sky Galley since 1999, told The Enquirer. [The meetings with the city] went great from my perspective. I'd love to stay. My employees love it there, I love it there, my regulars love it." “

Then Kirby clean the damn place up. I suspect this was not Kirby’s first run in with the health department.
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Having lived in Cincinnati at one point, it would not surprise me if the city (landlord) hampered his ability to make improvements, especially given that the structure is historic. There is likely to have been a dispute over who pays. Exposed pipes, for example, are often the responsibility of the landlord - and the rest is pretty easy if the city wanted them out.
 
Follow the money, the city probably wants more rent and is using the violations as an excuse.
 
frfly172 said:
Follow the money, the city probably wants more rent and is using the violations as an excuse.
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That seems to 'sum(pun intended) it up.'

"City administration discussed proposals for making the necessary repairs with Sky Galley owner Brakvill in the months before their ultimate decision to cancel the restaurant's lease and regain control of the space.
The Lunken Airport Oversight Advisory Board recommended to the city the location continue to host a restaurant. It is also open to proposals from interested parties with other ideas for the space.
 
The fact that there is a "Lunken Airport Oversight Advisory Board" pretty much means the local government is out of control and wants a new form of revenue...
 
luvflyin said:
That seems to 'sum(pun intended) it up.'

"City administration discussed proposals for making the necessary repairs with Sky Galley owner Brakvill in the months before their ultimate decision to cancel the restaurant's lease and regain control of the space.
The Lunken Airport Oversight Advisory Board recommended to the city the location continue to host a restaurant. It is also open to proposals from interested parties with other ideas for the space.
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What they meant to say was “parties that will give us a bigger cut of the revenue.” Would not surprise me if the cut they want means the proprietor would not be profitable.
 
Sky Gallery is a busy restaurant with a good local traffic flow. Over the last two years the place has been in need of updating. The Sky Gallery brand name belongs to the airport. If the current lessee can’t make repairs like a cracked sink and some exposed pipes to meet health regulations, I am sure the airport will not have difficultly locating a new lessee. Otherwise the place needs new carpet and some other minor updates.
 
I wonder if it's an attempt by the FBO's / city to gain more parking / ramp revenue. The long standing "secret" is park at the old terminal / Sky Galley and escape the fees, with no restaurant there's no real reason to park there vs an FBO, and I'm pretty sure the grimy City of Cincinnati already has their own stack of fees incorporated with parking at the FBO's
 
Airports. Those special places where city governments think they can run restaurants better than restauranteurs. Usually because someone on the Board has a nephew who wants to run one and can’t even operate a successful food truck. LOL.
 
Todd82 said:
I wonder if it's an attempt by the FBO's / city to gain more parking / ramp revenue. The long standing "secret" is park at the old terminal / Sky Galley and escape the fees, with no restaurant there's no real reason to park there vs an FBO, and I'm pretty sure the grimy City of Cincinnati already has their own stack of fees incorporated with parking at the FBO's
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So the city owns a secret free ramp. The city’s master plan is to run off a restaurant that leases building space, lose that rent and have an empty terminal so they can charge parking on a ramp that no one will now have a purpose to park on. Foil hats are in vogue in your circles.
 
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Clip4 said:
So the city owns a secret free ramp. The city’s master plan is to run off a restaurant that leases building space, lose that rent and have an empty terminal so they can charge parking on a ramp that no one will now have a purpose to park on. Foil hats are in vogue in your circles.
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Nobody said the plan had to make actual sense. It's Cincinnati city government. If they had any sense their commercial airport wouldn't be in another state for starters. And they just spent millions on a streetcar / light rail to nowhere.
 
Todd82 said:
...And they just spent millions on a streetcar / light rail to nowhere.
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Let me guess...it goes to the airport, where they just shut down the restaurant?
 
GRG55 said:
Let me guess...it goes to the airport, where they just shut down the restaurant?
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Oh, no it doesn't. But it has low ridership, cost overruns and management issues. They just transferred management to some other city department. Once upon a time, Concinnati tried to build a subway, too. It failed. But some of the tunnels and structures are still there. Look it up on the Internet - there are photos and videos of urban explorers visiting. And the whole sordid story is there, too.
 
Todd82 said:
Nobody said the plan had to make actual sense. It's Cincinnati city government. If they had any sense their commercial airport wouldn't be in another state for starters. And they just spent millions on a streetcar / light rail to nowhere.
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So Cincinnati , a city located 1/2 mile from Kentucky, opted for a multi state airport authority and improving an existing military airport in northern Kentucky rather than buying land and developing an airport from scratch. Sounds like a prudent fiscal decision to me.
 
Clip4 said:
So Cincinnati , a city located 1/2 mile from Kentucky, opted for a multi state airport authority and improving an existing military airport in northern Kentucky rather than buying land and developing an airport from scratch. Sounds like a prudent fiscal decision to me.
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The story is not that simple, and really should be attributed to city failure rather than financial prowess.

With the flooding at LUK, Cincinnati - back in the 1930s planned to make Blue Ash airport (ISZ) into the big airport. Between the city's lack of foresight (they turned down Federal dollars for the project) and community opposition, the project stalled... And Kentucky came in and convinced the Feds to build an Army air field in the 40s. With the federal money, CVG was built and became the primary airport in the area. Cincinnati had no choice but to join a regional authority.

A similar situation happened with the IRS facility tha was built in Covington.
 
wsuffa said:
and really should be attributed to city failure rather than financial prowess.
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:yeahthat:


To this day, Cincinnati / Hamilton County don't run CVG. Kenton County, KY does. Not a regional board with appointed reps by the City or anything.
 
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For the record, I got my PP and instrument at KISZ before the city closed it (did the commercial in San Antonio).

Also, one might look at the story of Cincinnati's attempts to build a subway/mass transit system as another example of management issues.
 
Todd82 said:
Nobody said the plan had to make actual sense. It's Cincinnati city government. If they had any sense their commercial airport wouldn't be in another state for starters. And they just spent millions on a streetcar / light rail to nowhere.
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One of the funnier crazy girl/white cat memes was...

“I’m flying to Cincinatti!”
“No, you’re flying to Kentucky!”

:)
 
wsuffa said:
For the record, I got my PP and instrument at KISZ before the city closed it (did the commercial in San Antonio).

Also, one might look at the story of Cincinnati's attempts to build a subway/mass transit system as another example of management issues.
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A better example would building a stadium for the Bengals which most in Cincinnati (and other cities) thought was a wonderful idea. I hear they are trying to win next year’s first round draft pick.
 
Clip4 said:
A better example would building a stadium for the Bengals which most in Cincinnati (and other cities) thought was a wonderful idea. I hear they are trying to win next year’s first round draft pick.
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Forget whether they're winning or losing, that stadium is a money pit. It is the textbook example of why publicly financed stadiums simply are not a good idea. Hamilton County and the City paid for that stadium and agreed to fund a number of expensive improvements in the following years. The team and its owner cleaned the clocks of the taxpayers.

So yeah, that's another one.

I'd add the streetcar into the mix. And the latest debacle seems to be the Millenium Hotel attached to the convention center.
 
wsuffa said:
Hamilton County and the City paid for that stadium and agreed to fund a number of expensive improvements in the following years. The team and its owner cleaned the clocks of the taxpayers.
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Having hard working people pay for NFL palaces chaps me a good bit. NFL owners should have to pay for their own stadiums.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Having hard working people pay for NFL palaces chaps me a good bit. NFL owners should have to pay for their own stadiums.
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And then hold the city hostage to pay for upgrades and repairs. Isn't that what profit is for?
 
Clip4 said:
I got a funny feeling this was the City smacking Kirby on the head and in the end he will make improvements and stay.
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That would certainly please me. Unfortunately I moved 25 miles north, so it's only a once or twice a year stop now (no airplane!)
 
wsuffa said:
Forget whether they're winning or losing, that stadium is a money pit. It is the textbook example of why publicly financed stadiums simply are not a good idea. Hamilton County and the City paid for that stadium and agreed to fund a number of expensive improvements in the following years. The team and its owner cleaned the clocks of the taxpayers.

So yeah, that's another one.

I'd add the streetcar into the mix. And the latest debacle seems to be the Millenium Hotel attached to the convention center.
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Funny thing about the stadium deal is that one of the councilmen stated that the deal was 'All Bengals', but nobody cared, because they didn't want to lose the [1-13 this year] Bengals.
 
Dean V said:
Sky Gallery is a busy restaurant with a good local traffic flow. Over the last two years the place has been in need of updating. The Sky Gallery brand name belongs to the airport. If the current lessee can’t make repairs like a cracked sink and some exposed pipes to meet health regulations, I am sure the airport will not have difficultly locating a new lessee. Otherwise the place needs new carpet and some other minor updates.
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That's Sky Galley.
 
Makes no sense. If the City or Airport Authority are the owners of the property, then the guy who runs the restaurant is just a tenant. The landlords or in this case perhaps slumlord should make the improvements. Sounds like a money or power grab. If it closes, sad to see since I regularly visit the place. Maybe I better get checked out at a doctors or something in case I picked something up!
 
August 2019

Violation: 3717-1-06.1(A) - Violation - Facilities-floors, walls, ceilings design The floors & coverings, walls & coverings, or ceilings are not designed, constructed, and installed so they are smooth and easily cleanable. Comments: Facilities-floors, walls, ceilings Indoor floor, wall, or ceiling surfaces are not smooth, durable, and easily cleanable in areas where FSO or RFE activities are conducted. Floor in kitchen is not smooth and cleanable

Violation: 3717-1-03.2(M)(2)(a) - Violation - Wiping cloths-use limitation Wet wiping cloth was not maintained in a sanitizer solution between uses.

Violation: 3717-1-07.0(B) - Violation - Poisonous/toxic material-working containers Working containers of poisonous/toxic materials are not labeled.

Violation: 3717-1-03.2(K) - Violation - In-use utensils-between-use storage In-use utensils are improperly stored.

Violation: 3717-1-03.4(F)(1)(b) - Violation - TCS-cold holding TCS foods were being held at temperatures >41° F.

Violation: 3717-1-06.4(B)(1) - Violation - Facilities: Cleaning: Frequency The physical facilities are not cleaned as often as necessary to keep them clean.

Violation: 3717-1-03.3(D)(6)(b) - Violation - Raw Animal Foods-Non-continuous Cooking-Procedures Available Non-continuously cooked raw animal foods written procedures are not available.

Violation: 3717-1-03.2(Q) - Violation - Food Storage-preventing contamination form the premises Food items are not protected frm contamination during storage.

Violation: 3717-1-05.4(N)(2) - Violation - Refuse/recyclables/returnables-covered outside Outdoor refuse/recyclables/returnables receptacles are not covered with tight fitting lids or doors.

Violation: 3717-1-04.5(D) - Violation - Non-food contact surfaces-Cleaning Frequency Nonfood-contact surfaces are not cleaned frequently enough.

Violation: 3717-1-02.2(C) - Violation - Hands and arms-when to wash (handwashing) Food employee(s) did not wash hands in situations that specifically require them to do so.

Violation: 3717-1-06.4(K) - Violation - Facilities: Pest control: The presence of insects, rodents, and other pests is not being adequately controlled or minimized.

Violation: 3717-1-06.1(M)(3) - Violation - Facilities-windows, doors protected Windows or doors were not protected against insects and rodents.

Violation: 3717-1-02.3(A) - Violation - Food contamination-eating Employees were eating, drinking or using tobacco in non-designated areas.

Violation: 3717-1-04.2(I) - Violation - Sanitizing solutions-testing devices. There is no test kit available for measuring the concentration of the sanitizer.

Violation: 3717-1-03.4(G)(4) - Violation - RTE TCS, date marking Date marking was not done in a consistent manner according to the code.

Violation: 3717-1-06.4(E) - Violation - Facilities: Food/Ware/Handwash sink: Improper use Food preparation sinks, handwashing lavatories, and warewashing equipment are used for the cleaning of maintenance tools, the preparation or holding of maintenance materials, or the disposal of mop water and similar liquid wastes.

Violation: 3717-1-04.4(B) - Violation - Cutting surfaces. Cutting surface(s) unable to be effectively cleaned and sanitized.

Violation: 3717-1-06.2(C) - Violation - Facilities-hand drying provision Handwashing lavatory had no, unapproved, or inoperable hand drying provision.

Violation: 3717-1-04.4(A)(1) - Violation - Equipment-good repair and proper adjustment. Equipment and/or components were not maintained in good working order.

Violation: 3717-1-07.1(A) - Violation - Poisonous/toxic material-storage separation Poisonous/toxic materials are stored in a manner that could contaminate food, equipment, utensils, linens, or single-service or single-use articles.

Violation: 3717-1-03.2(C)(1) - Violation - Preventing Contamination by Separation, Packaging, and Segregation Ready-to-eat food was not protected from cross-contamination by raw animal food.
 
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Good. When I get back to flying regularly, I'll drop by once a month or so, if I can afford the gas to go 16 nm. each way!
 
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