Rolling with the times: How a local Hamden drive-in continues its success

Businesses come and go, and Route 10 in Hamden, Connecticut, has seen its fair share of them. But one hot dog restaurant that has remained a staple of the Hamden community for nearly 70 years might’ve cracked the key to success — consistency. 

Glenwood Drive-in at 2538 Whitney Ave. in Hamden continues its success through three generations of family-owned operations and features an old-school ambiance with an assembly-line front end and a straight-to-the-point menu.  

Kelly Ciccone, daughter of second-generation owner Frank Stone, said her earliest memories of the business were when Glenwood’s hot dog was just 99 cents. 

“​​We all went through Hamden High School, even my grandmother, I think she was the first graduating class of Hamden High School,” Ciccone said. “We’ve been part of the community ever since we opened.” 

Frank Stone took over the family business around age 18 following the death of his father. Ciccone’s brother and sister now take the reigns of operating the business. 

But the road to success hasn’t been easy at Glenwood, especially with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic which closed several restaurants statewide. 

“It has been very hard the past few years,” Ciccone said. 

Glenwood adapted through the pandemic by adding online delivery services such as DoorDash and Grubhub, Ciccone said. However, she said the restaurant still faces battles in a world trying to move past the virus. 

“People are trying to bounce back and get their lives back on track and not everyone has the money,” said Leigh White, manager at Glenwood of over 20 years. “Winters are a slow time but since COVID It’s been extra slow.” 

Despite the setbacks, Glenwood remains one of Hamden’s popular restaurants and has changed very little over the years. 

Ciccone said the menu, which features hotdogs, burgers, seafood and more, also remains virtually the same since the Stone family took over in 1955. 

Cheshire resident Dave Webb, formerly of Hamden, has been going to Glenwood since he was 17 years old and said he enjoys the consistency and timeliness the restaurant has kept over the years. 

“You don’t see many (drive-ins),” Webb said. “You’re always impressed with that, an old-fashioned drive-in, keeping the same theme going, the same values and they’ve been doing this forever, I believe.” 

Webb’s favorite menu items are the fried whole-bellied clams or the hotdogs. 

“You know what you’re getting. You come to expect a certain quality, a certain taste and you get the same thing every time. It’s consistent,” Webb said. 

Karen Jones, of Branford, makes the trip to Glenwood with her friends almost every Sunday. Jones “rediscovered” Glenwood during the pandemic, not visiting since “years ago,” she said. 

“This was one of the only places that was open for takeout,” Jones said. “We started coming, getting takeout and then when they reopened we started coming every Sunday, and then we go over and get ice cream.” 

Attached to Glenwood is Kelly’s Cone Connection, an ice cream shop that is owned and operated by Ciccone. Ciccone assisted her father in Glenwood before transitioning fully into her own shop in 1985.

“My father said we should go into some kind of dessert, we decided on ice cream,” Ciccone said. “We added on this as an addition and we started making our own ice cream.”  

Ciccone offers over two-dozen ice cream flavors, custom cakes, catering and more. 

In addition to being able to indulge in savory or sweet treats, Glenwood hosts a Cruise Night, a gathering of classic cars, every Wednesday from May to October. 

White believes Glenwood continues to thrive by honoring its roots and holding the same standards for service.  

“I think it’s just mainly because nothing ever really changes here. Everything stays the same. It’s just a great place that’s been here for so long,” White said.