Post #527848 by Bali O Hai O on Tue, May 4, 2010 2:48 AM

November 23, 2003
Section: Lifestyle

Moment in time

Dark days at Bali Hai

"Bali Hai may call you, any night, any day," crooned Bloody Mary in the 1958 movie based on James Michener's "Tales of the South Pacific."
With vivid memories of the film, Stark Countians eagerly anticipated the opening of the Bali Hai Restaurant & Cocktail Lounge at 4508 Lincoln Way E in Perry Township, tiki carvings, torches and all. Emil and Helen Chapanar gave it all the right touches, including Polynesian cocktails. But that was decades ago and the building has been home to several dining spots over the years.

The restaurant’s sign explained the reason 30 years ago for the extinguishing of the flames.

“Torches Out for the Energy Crisis,” said the sign along Lincoln Way E in Perry Township, in front of Bali Hai Restaurant-Lounge.

The torches had become well known during the seven years they had been burning near the restaurant. They burned constantly for that time, on pilot during the day and flaming brightly during operating hours.

But, there was an oil shortage in 1973.

“The nation will start running short of power plant fuel by December, home heating oil by late January, and gasoline by early February,” predicted a story in The Repository Nov. 22.

“Unless very difficult cuts can be made.” the story noted, the country faced energy problems that would dim its lights and cool buildings throughout the nation.

So owner Emil Chapanar darkened his sign.

He turned off for the Bali Hai torches duration of the energy crisis.

— GARY BROWN
Canton Repository Living section editor