On Saturday, November 16th, 2024, the Chesaning Area Historical Society gathered together to unveil the latest addition to its collection of historical artifacts.
Local resident (and CAHS board member) Steve Horny has spent several months restoring the sign that once hung above the entrance to the Showboat Restaurant, and it can now be seen on display outside the Chesaning Area Historical Museum, at 602 West Broad Street in Chesaning.
The Showboat Restaurant has been a part of the local business landscape for almost 50 years, and continues to serve as an important gathering place for friends and families.
This history of the restaurant starts with Arthur Gewirtz (1918-2004), a local businessman who was also the co-owner of Gewirtz Hardware & Appliance Store.
Art had wanted to ensure that his nine children would have a place where they could find jobs and develop a good work ethic, so in 1956 he purchased the Malt Shop, at 228 West Broad Street, from its previous owners.
He also acquired the adjacent storefront, which had once housed the Crystal Theatre before it was converted into a clothing store in 1951. Gewirtz undertook further renovations to turn it into an eatery, and the space was rented out to Delores VanWagner (1902-1993), who ran the Showboat Lounge from the mid-60s to the early 1970s.
In 1976, the space was taken over by Mary Jo Wood and Joe Gewirtz, the now grown children of Arthur Gewirtz, and the Showboat Restaurant opened under their management.
There have been a total of three different signs for the Showboat Restaurant over the years.
The first was a plastic sign that hung on the corner of the Malt Shop, and advertised both establishments. The second sign was also plastic, and was placed above the restaurant entrance in the 1980s.
The third sign (the one that is now on display at the museum) was installed in 1998, was made of wood, and prominently featured the Chesaning Showboat in its design.
All three signs were created by Voorheis Signs, over in in Montrose, and were installed by local builder Russell Perry (1918-2007). This seems appropriate, as Russell had also been responsible for building both the 1965 and the 1989 versions of the actual Chesaning Showboat.
Both the Malt Shop and the Showboat Restaurant remained in the family for many years. Joe Gewirtz and Mary Jo Wood both retired from the restaurant business in 2016, while sister Deb Henige, who had taken over the Malt Shop from her father in 1985, finally sold the business in 2017.
The new owners of the Showboat Restaurant, Dave and Jayne Carroll, eventually removed the old sign from above the entrance while renovating the restaurant’s exterior in 2018. The sign was placed in storage, and later donated to the Chesaning Area Historical Society.
In 2023, the process of restoring the sign began.
Steve Horny, a native of Chesaning who had recently returned to his home town, volunteered to take on the project.
Years of exposure to the elements had taken their toll on the sign. The corners had started to rot away and needed to be replaced, and there was a large crack running along the bottom of the sign that had to be repaired.
There were numerous holes in the wood that had to be filled in, and the entire surface needed to be refinished and repainted. The original mountings needed to be stripped away, and a new method for mounting the sign had to be devised.
Fortunately, Steve was the right man for the job, given his extensive experience as a professional finish carpenter.
He says that he hopes the display will serve to remind the community of the camaraderie we share while gathering together to enjoy good food and good company.
The entire operation is estimated to have taken over 80 hours of work to complete
Ace Hardware, Swartzmiller Lumber Company, and Self Serve Lumber & Home Center all donated material and equipment to the project.
The society would also like to extend its gratitude to Pat Lawton, who provided a workspace for the restoration, and Steve Johnson and his uncle Ed, who helped to transport and install the sign.
One Response
Great article John!