The front of the Olde Piano Factory Shoppes today.
The Olde Piano Factory
strikes a chord in heart of Ripley 40 | Salt | January/February 2015
By Meghann MacMillan
For almost 40 years, The Olde Piano Factory has housed some of the most unique antiques found this side of the Ohio River, but the rich history surrounding the famous antiques mall hasn’t always been so assured. In 1869, M.J. Chase began building pianos in Ripley. With trade booming along the Ohio River, Chase had hopes of making Ripley the capital of piano production. His factory, then known as the Ohio Valley Piano Company, made square grand pianos meant for entertainment in the front parlor. Every part of piano
construction was done in the Ripley factory, a rarity in the growing age of industrialism. The Ohio Valley Piano Company’s most popular model was the Ohio Valley Gem and was designed specifically for the music of the period. The pianos sold down the river and have since been located as far as California; but sadly, at the turn of the century, the business of making pianos turned sour for Chase. Records regarding the absorption of the Ohio Valley Piano Company into the Baldwin Piano Company, located in
Cincinnati, offer varying stories as to the downfall of pianos in Ripley. What is certain is that this period of history caused the piano factory to undergo many changes. Older generations still living in Ripley remember the factory making shoes and plastics, housing furniture for sale and even packing parachutes for World War II. Even today, previous workers in the factory remember exactly where packed parachutes were dropped down through a hole in the ceiling. The factory passed through many hands and, over the years, declined into a building in dire need of repair. It wasn’t until 1977 that the building would be given new life. Ruth Bloyer, current owner of The Olde Piano Factory, remembers fondly the time that she and five other business partners decided to purchase the old building. While still structurally sound, the building was in need of a new roof and most in Ripley considered it a lost cause. After wading through the many lay-
ers of red tape, Ruth and her partners began the difficult task of getting the old factory ready for business. Ruth’s vision for the old factory was inspired by the famous Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco — a thriving indoor marketplace filled with specialty shops. It took Ruth and her partners from February until the following Labor Day to make her vision a reality. Her daughter Marsha, at that time a new college graduate, recalls those early days of cleanup as the biggest mess she has ever seen, but slowly and surely The Olde Piano Factory came into the first stage of new life. By the time The Olde Piano Factory opened, the separate booths contained all manner of shops, including an ice cream parlor, a photography studio, a dress boutique and a jewelry store. For just about two years, The Olde Piano Factory enjoyed success under Ruth’s vision, even supporting a restaurant called The Bird Cage in the front of the building.