For Debra Lund, Gepetto's is a lot more than a pizzeria.

She's devoted a lot of time recently to ensure her favorite restaurant doesn't close as it nears its 40th year in business while facing falling revenues, blamed largely on continuing road construction outside the business.

Lund was 10 when the eatery opened in 1970. Although her conservative father decreed it a "hippie hangout," he loved the pizza.

At 16, Lund's first date took her to Gepetto's before an America concert. Later, in high school and college, she hung with her friends at the restaurant listening to live music.

Even today, decades later, Lund still regularly meets her girlfriends at the Holladay landmark for its garlic cheese bread and a pie.

"It's more than a restaurant," said Lund, a 1979 Skyline High School graduate. "It's an experience that you have. ... You make memories there."

So when Lund read on a Facebook message about Gepetto's possibly closing, she and other patrons started a word-of-mouth campaign to save the restaurant last week.

In the meantime, co-owner Ginger Dunn said she is doing everything she can to keep the doors open, from meeting with city officials to taking out a loan to pay her 15 employees. She's also used up her personal savings and racked up a company credit card.

"I don't want to put these people that I care about out of work," said Dunn, who has co-owned the restaurant for the past six years. "We're just being hit so hard. There's nothing we can do about it."

The business began struggling in summer 2008 when road construction started in the area - --- the sidewalk and road in front of the restaurant was blocked on and off since then -- and has continued to decline, Dunn said. Government officials don't understand construction's impact on small businesses, she said.

"The recession was manageable," Dunn said. "The construction has been impossible."

A few weeks ago, Dunn said she began texting, e-mailing and posting Facebook messages in hopes of getting customers to visit Gepetto's more often.

"No ones wants to see it fail," Dunn said. "But the only way to keep it open is ... keep on coming in."

Dunn, whose first job was at a pizza joint, said she remembers visiting Gepetto's with her parents growing up and hanging out with her friends there while attending Skyline High School in the late '80s.

It was among the few places where teens could see live music, Dunn said. "It was the coolest place in the world."

In early 2003, Dunn and her husband, Brian, heard Gepetto's was in financial trouble and could close. So they bought the restaurant to save the neighborhood icon.

Business slowly and steadily flourished over a few years, and eventually sales doubled before tough times hit last year, Dunn said.

Now, the worst part of possibly closing Gepetto's is that it's a few months away from celebrating its 40-year anniversary.

Dunn, who lives in Sandy, said she hopes she makes it to 2010, but she doesn't think there will be money for anniversary stickers, T-shirts and other souvenirs.

"If we're still here, we will celebrate it no matter what, but at what level is the question," she said.

Four-year customer Kathy Ogden said she and her husband visit Gepetto's about three times a month because they love the "incredible" servers, "laid-back atmosphere," cold wine and summer patio dining.

"We feel right at home," Ogden said.

Lund, who lives in South Jordan, said she won't quit spreading the word and she eats there "as often as I can." She's targeted Skyline, Olympus and Cottonwood high alumni to "help save Gepetto's."

"Let's support our old hangout. If not, we'll only have the memories," Lund said in her Facebook posting. "Gepetto's pizza is your place for live music nightly, great pizza, good drink and great times."

jsanchez@sltrib.com