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For Immediate Release
April 15, 2015
RYMAN AUDITORIUM ANNOUNCES CAFE LULA
NEW DOWNTOWN RESTAURANT TO OPEN IN EARLY JUNE
NAMED AFTER THE RYMAN’S BELOVED LULA C. NAFF
RYMAN TO HOLD CAFE LULA JOB FAIR APRIL 23
Ryman Auditorium is pleased to announce Cafe Lula, a new restaurant set to open early June. Located on the east side of the Ryman facing Fourth Avenue and just a few steps away from Lower Broadway, Cafe Lula will have seating for approximately 80 guests inside and 30 more on a covered, outdoor patio. The restaurant will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily with extended hours during nighttime Ryman events. The menu will feature fresh, healthy fare with an emphasis on rotisserie cooking and locally sourced ingredients available for both dine-‐in and grab-‐and-‐go service. Cafe Lula will feature an espresso bar with locally roasted and specially blended coffees each morning, and a full-‐service bar in the afternoon and evening. “Cafe Lula will be a delicious and convenient addition to downtown’s dining options,” said Sally Williams, Ryman Auditorium general manager. “We look forward to serving a wide range of guests, from Nashville visitors looking for a cup of coffee and pastry before taking a Ryman tour to our downtown neighbors looking for a quick and healthy lunch to music fans looking for dinner and a cocktail before a concert.” The cafe is named in honor of Lula C. Naff, longtime manager of the Ryman. Lula began working with the Ryman in 1904 as a secretary for the building’s booking agency. When the agency closed in 1916 she went into business on her own, bringing in speakers and performers. Lula was hugely successful and in 1920 was hired as the Ryman’s manager, a position she held until her retirement in 1955. Lula’s business and booking savvy garnered respect and prestige for both Ryman Auditorium and the city of Nashville as a performance arts center for the region. Known as the “first lady” of theater management, she brought the greatest performers and Broadway plays of the day to the Ryman including: Bob Hope, Charlie Chaplin, Enrique Caruso, Harry Houdini, Katherine Hepburn, Mae West, Ziegfeld Follies, “Guys and Dolls,” “Oklahoma!” and many more. Lula also ushered the Grand Ole Opry into the Ryman in 1943 where the show resided until 1974. Under Lula’s leadership, the Ryman became a showplace for great 423 west fourteenth street new york, ny 10014
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diversity, a tradition that continues today. She also was a trailblazer for working women, branching out on her own before women even had the right to vote. For more information on Lula, please visit: ryman.com/history/lula-‐c-‐naff. “For decades Lula C. Naff brought the world to Nashville through the stage door of the Ryman,” said Williams. “We’re excited to honor her legacy with the naming of our new cafe.” Cafe Lula is now hiring all positions and will hold a job fair Thursday, April 23, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc., One Gaylord Drive, Nashville, Tennessee, 37214. Full employment details can be found at ryman.com/cafelula and rymanhp.com/careers. Cafe Lula is part of Ryman Auditorium’s $14 million improvement project. In addition to Cafe Lula, the project includes a brand new tour experience, an event space, enhanced food and beverage services throughout the building, an expanded retail store with interior and exterior access, a new box office, additional restroom facilities and larger lobbies. The historic auditorium, restored in 1994, will remain unchanged. About Ryman Auditorium A National Historic Landmark, Ryman Auditorium was built as a tabernacle by Captain Thomas G. Ryman in 1892, served as the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943-‐74, and was completely renovated in 1994. The Ryman is open for tours during the day and at night offers a wide variety of entertainment performances, just has it has for over 120 years. The venue was voted the 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 Pollstar Theatre of the Year. Ryman Auditorium is owned by Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. (NYSE: RHP), a Nashville-‐based REIT that also owns and operates the Grand Ole Opry, and 650 AM WSM. For more information, visit ryman.com For more information, please contact
Asha Goodman 615.320.7753, Mary Moyer 212.741.1000 or Carla Sacks 212.741.1000
at Sacks & Co., asha.goodman@sacksco.com, mary@sacksco.com or carla@sacksco.com.
Lisaann Dupont at Ryman Auditorium, ldupont@ryman.com 615.458.8715
423 west fourteenth street new york, ny 10014
t 212.741.1000
f 212.741.9777
www.sacksco.com