LIGONIER LEGACY

The Charger House Restaurant Celebrates 40 Years

Sometimes, life carries on with a most frenetic pace. Everyone is dashing off to the next event, the next big thing. Stopping for a bit along the route can become just as rushed.

It’s sometimes nice to make the gathering of mealtime a destination in itself.

Tom Janes could be considered a bit of a sage regarding this philosophy. A lifelong resident of Ligonier, Janes has always been invested in, and aware of, the momentum of the town’s progress. He still remembers the time when a new structure was built in the early 1980s, right along the U.S. Highway 6 corridor, the prospective site for a brand-new business.

But only a few months later, those plans fell through, and Janes seized an opportunity to buy the building. He was about to launch a new family-style restaurant, which would be called the Charger House. A suitable moniker indeed, and one that echoed the mascot name for the West Noble school district.

That was back in 1983, and 40 years later, Janes is in no rush to leave. Retirement, he observes casually, isn’t really a blip on his radar.

From its inception, the Charger House has created a loyal following by providing a menu that is replete with time-honored favorite meal traditions, served up in generous portions with true Midwestern hospitality. It’s a modest atmosphere where regulars come by frequently to indulge in any number of Charger House specialties, such as their legendary fried fish and savory breakfast entrées.

“It’s a pretty simple place,” Janes says. “Our biggest attribute is that we’re consistent.”

Janes, an affable fellow who seems to always wear a smile, sees the restaurant as more than a place to dine. He also considers this something of a calling, a way to give back to the community he is so clearly fond of. His family members are equally enthusiastic and supportive, it seems, for this venture to continue.

Among the many longtime employees of the Charger House are Jane’s wife and son, along with several other relatives. Most of those currently on staff have stayed with the Charger House for years, including one employee who has been with the establishment for 38 years.

That sense of familiarity is another positive draw for the restaurant. Patrons arrive assured that whatever they choose for their dining experience, it will be prepared with luscious recipes, by conscientious and caring staff members. Janes feels that visitors from afar can generally pinpoint where the good diners are in any given community - simply look for the places where the local police and other first responders are congregating.

The Charger House has become, in a sense, a new means to define the phrase “comfort food.” This became quite evident during the coronavirus outbreak of 2020, when the restaurant experienced a shutdown of in-house service. Undaunted by this change, Janes tweaked the menu to specialize in carry-out options. This avenue of business provided a steady source of income for the Charger House, and even now continues to be a popular feature for diners, even after the restrictions were lifted.

While there are no major changes on the horizon for the Charger House, Janes is perfectly content to keep things just as they are, for there is success in stability. Throughout the course of conversation, he often expresses how fortunate he is. “I’m blessed with a great family and this is a great community,” he says. “We’re always happy to do things to help the community and I’m not ashamed to say how much I love this town.”

The Charger House is located at 111 U.S. Highway 6 in Ligonier. For more details, call 260-894-4000 or visit the Charger House Facebook page for updates.