Warsaw in the neon light: the story of one slogan that flashed over the city

The Warsaw Gasworks, operating since the end of the 19th century, wanted to convince residents that gas was not a threat, but a convenience in everyday life. From the very beginning, its ambition was not only to light the capital's streets with gas lanterns, but also to introduce gas into Warsaw's homes. However, there was a fundamental problem: many residents of the capital were simply afraid of gas. The flame in the kitchen seemed uncertain, untamed, and in the popular imagination it carried a shadow of danger.

The municipal gasworks was therefore faced with the question of how to break down the wall of mistrust and convince the residents of Warsaw that gas was not an enemy, but an ally of everyday comfort. For this reason, Warsaw's first educational and retail store for gas appliances was established — a place where not only cookers, stoves and other gas appliances were offered, but also where people were taught how to use them.

During cooking demonstrations, elegant demonstrators in silk blouses presented the ‘wonders of technology’, convincing people that a hot dinner could be prepared with a single, simple turn of a tap. No soot, no carrying fuel, no dirty hands. The audience — intrigued and, let's be honest, tempted by the aroma of stewed beef — absorbed every word and every scent. And all this was just the beginning.

With the opening of the shop, a real campaign promoting gas was launched — bold, modern and tinged with Warsaw humour. Its slogan, short and daring, sounded like an invitation to a new world: ‘Cook on gas!’.

In 1935, just before Christmas, a huge neon sign with a blue and orange glow lit up above the shop entrance. The pulsating slogan ‘Cook on gas’ was visible from afar. It was not just a slogan. It was a declaration of faith in progress — a sign of a changing Warsaw, where technology was increasingly entering homes, kitchens and everyday rituals.

The tenement building on which the famous neon sign was placed survived World War II, but did not withstand the post-war reconstruction. In 1954, it was demolished as part of the widening of Marszałkowska Street, and with it disappeared the neon sign — a luminous symbol of an era that believed in the splendour of technology and a better tomorrow.