Time travel, Smart Business style

It’s not often that you get to examine a company’s history and future in two different articles, but that’s what happened this month with White Castle System Inc. The best part, is that it was completely unplanned.
I set out to explore the state archives for this month’s Uniquely Columbus.
I asked the folks at the Ohio History Center to provide some interesting business history. Of course, with 37,377 cubic feet of records — lined end-to-end, that’s almost 52 football fields — they had a lot to choose from.
I’ll also admit that a few of us at the office got sucked into the black hole of records, where one interesting fact leads to another. (I, for example, had no idea that the electric chair was invented at the Ohio Penitentiary.)
After various emails back and forth, they settled on three iconic Columbus businesses, the F. & R. Lazarus Co., Lustron Corp. and White Castle System Inc. White Castle is the only one that’s still in business.
A lasting impression
All three companies had revolutionary approaches to business at the time.
Lazarus dominated the retail landscape in the 1950s and 1960s. From promotions like a baby animal farm and the “wall of air” at the entrance to the company’s instant information and directions service U-Ask-It, Lazarus left lasting memories for generations of shoppers.
Lustron set out to “Fordize” the housing industry with single-family homes constructed completely of porcelain steel after World War II. Although these prefabricated houses never took off as hoped, the Ohio Historical Society has an initiative today called Lustron Preservation to assist in protecting all surviving homes.
That takes us to White Castle, which helped usher in fast food, chain restaurants and sliders. It also earned Columbus the title of Hamburger Capital of the World in 1934, and today has its own devoted following of Cravers.
Leading a renaissance
So, what does all this have to do with the future of White Castle?
The leaders of 50 organizations in Central Ohio were recognized last month as part of the inaugural Smart 50 class of 2014. White Castle’s Lisa Ingram was not only one of the 50, she received a specialty award for innovation.
Leading a renaissance at White Castle, she and her team are working to keep the brand relevant and resonant with both customers of today and tomorrow.
The company has a cult following of customers who buy White Castle slider-scented candles, and new products — Belgian waffle sandwiches and Sriracha chicken sandwiches — that are driving sales and traffic.

It’s a thin line to walk, but Ingram and White Castle seem to be balancing just fine.