Shady Glen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shady Glen |
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The original location of Shady Glen on East Middle Turnpike
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| Restaurant information | |
| Established | June 12, 1948 |
| Food type | Diner |
| Dress code | Casual |
| Street address | 840 East Middle Turnpike |
| City | Manchester |
| State | Connecticut |
| Postal/ZIP code | 06040 |
| Country | United States |
| Reservations | None required, but be ready to wait on the weekends |
Shady Glen, also known as Shady Glen Dairy Stores, is a famous restaurant in Manchester, Connecticut. It is well-known for its delicious homemade ice cream. People also love its special "winged" cheeseburger and its cool 1950s diner style.
John and Bernice Rieg started the first Shady Glen in 1948. It was near the Manchester and Bolton town line. Later, in 1965, they opened a second location. This second store closed in 2020. In 2012, Shady Glen was honored as an "American Classic" by the James Beard Foundation. This award celebrates beloved local restaurants.
Contents
The Story of Shady Glen
Starting with Ice Cream
In 1946, John and Bernice Rieg had a farm. They decided to try something new: making and selling ice cream! They worked with experts from the University of Connecticut. These experts helped them create their first ice cream recipes.
The Famous Cheeseburger
Ice cream was popular, especially in summer. But the Riegs wanted to sell food all year. So, Bernice started experimenting with sandwiches. In 1949, she invented the "Bernice Original" cheeseburger.
What makes this burger special? It's the cheese! The cheese is fried right on the grill. It gets four crispy corners, or "wings." These wings stick out from under the bun, making the burger look like it has a crown.
The "Bernice Original" cheeseburger became very famous. It was even featured on the Food Network show The Best Thing I Ever Ate. The show highlighted it in an episode about "Cheesy" foods.
Family Ownership and Legacy
John and Bernice Rieg cared a lot about their customers and employees. This inspired William J. Hoch, a cousin of the Riegs, to start working there in 1953. William was only 15 years old. He worked part-time at Shady Glen while he went to high school and college.
After 17 years, in 1970, William became the Executive Manager. He was in charge of everything. John C. Rieg passed away in 2003, and Bernice A. Rieg passed away in 2007. After Bernice's death, William and his wife Annette took over the restaurant. William passed away in 2017. Today, Shady Glen is run by William Hoch's son, continuing the family tradition.
See also
- List of hamburger restaurants
