The Gas turns 45; party tonight

There are a lot of memories floating around in The Gaslight; carried by the chords of music that regularly flow from the stage holding musicians old and young these days.

For 45 years, the Gaslight Pizza and Grill has sat nestled among the small shops and businesses of Huntingburg’s historic 4th Street. As homage to the restaurant’s theatre days, the walls are covered with vintage movie posters separated by dartboards. There’s a photograph of the Gaslight when it first opened and colorfully decorated chalkboards display the details of upcoming events.

The atmosphere is calm and homey during the day when soft rock plays overhead while patrons enjoy a sandwich or a slice.

But when evening hits, the stage comes to life with live music.

The stage another connection to the building’s rich past; born as the Victory Theater in 1942, World War II Veteran Warren Evans turned it into the Gaslight in 1970. (Evans, who passed away this Monday, was one of the first 500 volunteers selected to form the elite 1st Army Ranger Battalion in 1942.)

“I’d probably go to jail if I told some of those stories,” said owner John Songer about the restaurant’s past, laughing. “If the walls could talk…how about we leave it at that?”

Songer and the Gaslight go way back. His brother Greg worked for Evans, and when Evan’s son Bruce took over, he asked Greg to become a partner. Greg then ran the Gaslight for about 18 years before John bought it from him. Since then, Songer has been in charge of one of Huntingburg’s most iconic places to grab a bite to eat.

“Anything that’s been here for that period of time obviously has gone through a lot of changes,” said Songer. “But I don’t know if anybody currently can recall there not being a Gaslight on 4th Street.”

Every once in a while, he’ll get a customer who remembers its Victory Theater days, For most people, though, it’s simply the Gaslight.

But for Songer, the Gaslight is more than just the neighborhood pizza shop. It’s home. He remembers helping out when he was young, cleaning popcorn out from underneath the seats at the end of the night.

“I’ve really grown up here,” he said. “I can tell when the doors open. The change in the air, the smell of the building. I mean, it’s pretty funny, but it’s interesting when you can feel all that stuff.”

Entertainment’s always been one of the Gaslight’s key elements. His brother ignited the scene when he added alcohol to the business, and since Songer’s been running it, he’s put a focus on holding community events.

“We just pick little different dates of the year and really expand upon them,” he said. The Gaslight thrives on creating ways for people to get out and having a good time, such as their yearly Mardi Gras celebration and weekly Open Mic Night, where anyone is welcome to come watch or perform Thursdays at 8 p.m.

Aside from all that, Gaslight’s pizza itself is not to be forgotten. Pizza has been a staple of the restaurant for all of its 45 years with “The Gas” being a crowd favorite to this day.

We take a little extra special care in how we prepare them,” Songer said about The Gas. “You’re going to get your money’s worth.”

The restaurant is also known for its sandwiches, salads, and even nachos. Along that line, a fan favorite is the Johnny Dart, a sandwich made with corned beef and pepper cheese. It’s also available in pizza form, which the Gaslight’s website warns is not for the faint of heart.

With four generations of diners coming in, the typical crowd is varied, but there’s something for everyone.

“Everyone from the little league ball teams, to the high school teams, to the people wanting to go out and enjoy their evening, to just the general diners that want to have a good pizza or a good sandwich,” Songer said.

The Gaslight is a classic staple of Southern Indiana dining and music, and people remember it as a symbol of their home town as well as a place to get a good meal.

“A lot of people that have moved away,” Songer said, “when they do come back home to visit, this is one of the first places they’ll stop to get a pizza.”

Friday night, as part of its 45-year anniversary, the Gaslight’s stage will welcome Southern Indiana Americana band Nick Dittmeier & the Sawdusters along with Bloomington’s the 220 Breakers. Doors open at 8 p.m. and the music starts at 9 p.m. Tickets are $7.

Here is a little sample.