The staff at Skycap News is sad to report that the last founding father of Skyline Chili has passed away. William Nicholas “Bill” Lambrinides died Tuesday. Mr. Lambrinides brothers (also part of the famed Cincinnati Style Chili restaurant), Jim, Lambert, twin brothers John and Christie, preceded him in death.
William Lambrinides and his siblings worked alongside their dad starting in 1949. That was when Nicolas Lambrinides, started his family business and opened the very first Skyline Chili in the Cincinnati neighborhood known as Price Hill. According to their website, it was Greek immigrant Nicolas Lambridines, whose view from this area gave him the idea to name his chili parlor Skyline. In addition to incorporating the Cincinnati skyline, his vision for combining chili, spaghetti, beans, cheese, and onion became a true regional success story. For those in the know, ordering 3-Way, 4-Way, at Skyline (or their competitors) is nearly a second language in the area.
During his lifetime, William saw Skyline grow into the most successful chain of eateries to serve Cincinnati’s distinctive Greek-style chili. Skyline now has more than 110 locations in four states. As stated by the Meyer Funeral home obituary, William Lambrinides served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army in addition to beginning Skyline with his family members. A Skyline business official said the Lambrinides family had not been the majority owners of the business for a number of years.
Delta Air Lines has had a major (albeit, dwindling) presence in Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport for quite some time and our staff always enjoyed stopping at Skyline and their main competitor Gold Star Chili during visits to the “Queen City.” For those of you who haven’t tried this truly regional and unique Cincinnati style product, Skyline is a truly “must stop” whenever in the area. Our sincere condolences to the Lambrinides family and Skyline Chili lovers everywhere!
