Gilligan's on the Green Holds Wyoming's First Pride Event -

Gilligans on the Green opened in Nov of 2023 in the Nationally Registered century-old former municipal building for the city of Wyoming. Owners Rick Pouliot and Frank Eversole are no strangers to opening local restaurants in historic buildings having done so with several others in Westwood where they have also rehabbed nearly 50 buildings.

Rick Pouliot describes the draw to historic structures:

“Whenever you enter an older building, you can just feel something special. At this point in our country’s history, it’s clear that the number of structures most Americans encounter on a daily basis are not considered historic. We have become so accustomed to structures that have been shaped by modern influences such as CAD and standardized building codes, that there is a certain ubiquity in the way a building feels regardless of what style it is. There is no substitution for the quirky spaces and unique designs that one can experience in an older building. Especially after these places have been renovated and remodeled as their uses have expanded or completely changed over time. While it’s awesome to behold the purity of an accurately restored historic structure from an almost museum-like point of view, we find a lot of comfort and relatability in a structure that has been altered but is still recognizable as a survivor that continues to serve people today.

We love how the former engine garage space of this old firehouse provides a wide-open dining area today. Former exterior walls were at one time pushed out to accommodate a time when the building brought on additional city departments and staff. Visible steel beams that hold up the second floor are tangible evidence of the changes that took place. The old stairwell to the second floor has had its doorway relocated in a sign that alterations at one time served to provide improved access to more than just firefighting personnel. Of course, today we wish it also housed an elevator!

One can easily imagine the spaces on the second floor would have once functioned as living quarters, even though there’s is no trace of the long-disappeared fireman’s pole. Certainly, our most visible and iconic feature is the former bell tower and hose drying chute. It soars above the roofline, allowing the clang of the alarm bell to be heard in all directions. It still serves dutifully today as the location for HVAC systems and fresh air intakes.”

Owners Rick Pouliot and Frank Eversole

As Wyoming celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, Pouliot explains how special the community truly is.

“Few neighborhoods can claim such a strong sense of place as Wyoming. As a former farming area that came to be influenced by the railroad and the Springfield Pike, the built environment is visually stunning. The walkable blocks shaped by its impressive housing stock and quaint business district along the nearby Village Green gathering space makes for an almost Mayberry-like setting. I’m sure Wyoming benefitted from the industry brought about by the canal and Mill Creek in the 1800’s, but unlike areas in nearby Lockland or Reading, being near the industry as opposed to directly in the middle of it helped shape Wyoming’s residential nature.

All of this is to say that we can provide an experience to visitors of Gilligan’s On The Green that is unmatched by any new-build destination that typically comes off as somewhat contrived or Disneyesque. Such locations are being increasingly constructed in places like West Chester and Liberty Township. It’s not lost on us that those places are trying to artificially create an authentic small town experience in a former cornfield, and to build it all in a year or two. There is an authenticity to the history behind natural growth over a hundred plus years that can only be created by time itself. With Wyoming being centrally located in the region, it allows us to draw from all over the Cincinnati area and have folks experience what a true walking neighborhood feels like.”

Gilligan’s On The Green just held the first Pride event to ever happen in Wyoming on Saturday June 15^th 2024, and it was a huge success.

This has inspired us and local LGBTQ organizers to envision an even larger event next year. Expanding the hours, number of vendors, and introducing a charitable component are all areas we’d like to explore for the 2nd Wyoming Pride.

When city leaders approached us about possibly operating in the former firehouse, they were also looking for a partner that would use the Village Green space as an extension of the restaurant itself in which to hold events and engage the community. It is exactly this type of event that builds neighborhoods, and we are totally on board.

In concert with the city, residents can expect one or two events per week to be held on the Village Green.

When asked what this building would say if it could talk, Pouliot notes, “Thank you!”

“We really feel the building feels overjoyed to still be serving its community over a century later,” he adds.