Lebanon City commission approves walk-in cooler for East Main bakery

At its December 2025 meeting the Lebanon City Historic Preservation Commission approved a certificate of appropriateness for a walk-in cooler at 222 East Main Street, the commission said. The application was filed by Boone County Cake Company (Stephanie and John Kim) and covers an 8-by-16-foot cooler to be sited at the rear of the building.

Derek (staff) presented the application and said the building is classified as a contributing structure—over 40 years old but not rising to a higher level of distinction—and reviewed previous approvals for the property. He described the proposed cooler as installed on a concrete pad with an interior-access door cut into an existing, non-original enclosed back stoop and said the unit "will only be visible from the north side of the property and will not be visible from East Main Street." "Therefore, staff recommends approval," Derek said.

John Kim, the applicant and a co-owner of Boone County Cake Company, told the commission the northwest/rear placement was chosen to maximize usefulness while minimizing visibility and to avoid covering or detracting from recently added murals and aesthetic improvements. "It does not cover up or take away from any of the mural murals or aesthetic improvements that we've made to the building," Kim said. Kim clarified the cooler will sit on a poured concrete pad and will not be permanently foundational; only the doorway interface will connect to the building, making the unit removable.

After brief questions and clarifications about attachment and reversibility, a commissioner moved to approve the certificate "as read," and the motion was seconded. The commission approved the application on a 4-0 vote, with one commissioner recorded as recused. The chair announced the motion passed 4-0. The applicant indicated the cooler could be installed "as early as next week."

In other business, Derek reported there were no staff-issued certificates of appropriateness during the period but noted progress on two corner buildings at 39 and 32 and that the former NetTech/Shaved Ice (Eichman) building has submitted construction design release to the state, which would allow local permits once received. Because the commission's usual first-Thursday meeting falls on New Year's Day, members voted to tentatively move the January meeting to Thursday, Jan. 8, if there is business to consider. The commission adjourned following the schedule vote.