Although the Gulf Gas Station in this 1951 photo is the dominant feature of the picture, if you look to the right of the back of the station, you can see several cars parked by a restaurant. That restaurant, now called Pitt Street Station, is the latest eatery on that spot since the first one opened in 1929.
In the 1920s, the Pennsylvania Railroad Station stood on the spot where the Gulf station was later built. In 1929, Mr. R. F. Shetler, who kept the Carlisle Diner on West High Street, would also run the new diner (eating car) which was unloaded at the Pennsylvania R. R. freight station yard. He planned to put the railroad car on a portion of the lot on Pitt Street adjoining the Pennsylvania Railroad Station.1
On Tuesday October 8, 1929, the new diner called the “Carlisle Coffee Car” had its grand opening. Mr. Shetler proposed to “serve as his guest, each “white” person over sixteen years of age… between the hours of twelve noon and nine p.m….one of his delicious hamburger sandwiches and a cup of coffee, free of charge.”2
Improvements to the railroad car diner began in October 1934 with Raymond Mowery of Carlisle as the contractor. The rebuilt diner would be a one-story brick building. Except for the present front and the service counter, the diner would be totally reconstructed. The main dining room would provide a dance floor and would accommodate 125 people. The building frontage was widened by eight feet, and the depth by 20 feet. “An elaborate arched lobby with oriental appointments” lead into the dining room, 48 feet by 33 feet, and booths were constructed along the walls.”3
A new grill room was installed a year later, and it would seat 200 people. New red leather cushioned seats were installed in the booths. The table and chairs were “chromium finished and sharply modernistic in design.” Opening week entertainment was provided by accordionist Felix Restivo, a familiar radio performer who would be the master of ceremonies during the week. The Howard Gale orchestra also played.4
Now called the “Carlisle Diner and Grill,” it continued to operate during the 1930s, and in 1948 it was now open for all-night service. An advertisement announcing the all-night service contained a drawing of the diner. The main body was still the railroad car with entrances on each end.5
The old dining car survived until 1964 when the owner, Lauren D. Metcalf announced that the diner would close for remodeling. R. S. Mowery and Son, contractors, were instructed to remove the old dining car, to rebuild the front, and to extend it 13 feet towards the curb. The front was to be built of a stucco material.6
The name changed with the 1964 remodel. It was called the “Cork and Kettle.” In February 1965, the owners added an “Old English Pub.”7 In 1966, dining and dancing were featured on Friday and Saturday evenings from 9:30 in the evening until 2:00 in the morning with Ann Herman at the Hammond and Bob Gutshall on the drums.8
Change came again in 1974 with the new owner/manager, Dennis Melisauskas. Renamed “The Blessed Oliver Plunket,” it opened on Thursday, November 7, 1974. Harold Newberry was the chef, and Don Frich was the head bartender. Thirty-two years later, new owners purchased the property and renamed it “Alibis Eatery & Spirits.” It opened in 2006, and extensive renovations to the interior were made while the arches from the 1934 remodel were retained. By 2024, the restaurant had changed hands again and is now named “Pitt Street Station.” The restaurant can celebrate a century of dining on that spot if it stays operational until 2029.
