A fond farewell to The Gables

While we were away celebrating holidays and enjoying some time off, a longstanding IU tradition came to an end. The Gables Restaurant, 114 S. Indiana Ave., is now closed. Both levels of the establishment were covered with Hoosier memorabilia dating back to the 1930s, when Hoagy Carmichael and Herman B Wells frequented one of several previous incarnations of The Gables. The most recent version opened four years ago under the supervision of Linda and Max Wildman, who cited irregular business as their reason for closing.\n Besides its place in IU history, The Gables played host to a variety of University-related meetings and functions. The Residence Halls Association, among others, held meetings there. IU President Myles Brand was a regular, as were many other IU officials. The Gables was the perfect place for alumni to eat and reminisce when they were in town for a reunion. It was a great place for students and their parents to stop for dinner during Parents Weekend. What other restaurant was such an appropriate place for dinner on graduation day?\n Recently, the establishment provided a home for displaced fraternities and sororities looking for a place to party. Greeks filled the restaurant Friday and Saturday nights, transforming the place into a nightclub or a disco, depending on which night you went. \n The Gables was also home to the IDS editorial board. \n Every Friday at 5 p.m., 10 to 25 student journalists filled one side of the upper level of The Gables to discuss the issues and decide the staff editorials for the following week. The staff was always friendly and polite, tolerating our complicated orders and sometimes unruly behavior with a smile. They didn't mind our loud debates about controversial issues, possibly because there was, more often than not, no one else in the restaurant to disturb. While we could have seen it coming, it doesn't make the end any less sad. \n Specializing in homestyle sandwiches and meals, The Gables' food was great, the service impressive and the atmosphere irreplaceable.The IDS staff will miss The Gables. More importantly, IU will miss The Gables.\n While we might mourn the loss of establishments such as The Gables, which give Bloomington its character and charm, how much do we support them? How often did you eat there? For that matter, how often did you see movies at the Von Lee? In order for such unique local businesses to survive, we have to keep them afloat with our patronage. So the next time you want to buy a book or eat out, don't just go to the closest chain store or restaurant. Remember the importance of keeping Hoosier traditions alive.