Chick’s Drive-In in West Haven to close after 65 years Chick’s will serve its last hot dog Nov. 15

WEST HAVEN >> Chick’s Drive-In, a landmark, hangout, cultural icon and cruise destination along the West Haven shore since 1950, will serve its last Savin Rock-style split, grilled hot dog on Nov. 15.

Chick’s — famous for 65 years for its hot dogs, lobster rolls and fried seafood, as well as for the legend over its front doors, “Through these doors pass the world’s finest customers” — will close just short of four months after the death of its namesake, Joseph E. “Chick” Celentano.

But don’t think this is another case of the kids not wanting to carry on their father’s business, or of families squabbling after a patriarch’s death over a beloved business’ future.

Celentano’s two older sons, Joseph Celentano and Michael Celentano, who worked with him in the business at various times, both said they would have liked to have taken over the Beach Street icon and kept it going.

But that wasn’t what their father wanted, they said.

Peter Hvizdak — New Haven RegisterJoseph Celentano proudly shows off a trademark long hot dog in front of Chick’s Drive-In on Beach Street in West Haven Thursday. Peter Hvizdak — New Haven RegisterJoseph Celentano proudly shows off a trademark long hot dog in front of Chick’s Drive-In on Beach Street in West Haven Thursday. Photo: ©2015 Peter Hvizdak Photo: ©2015 Peter Hvizdak Image 1 of / 71 Caption Close Chick’s Drive-In in West Haven to close after 65 years 1 / 71 Back to Gallery

“When he died, he wanted it closed,” Joseph Celentano, 54, said Tuesday.

“This was his baby. ... It was his legacy,” Celentano said. “I know with other businesses, the sons take over. But he didn’t want that.”

The two brothers “would have loved to have taken over.”

“I don’t want anyone to think we were walking away,” Joseph Celentano said. “I don’t want people to think that I’m the one who closed it and I’m the one who’s going to get rich off it, because that’s not the case.”

His father “left it at the discretion of the executor and the lawyer,” he said.

Joseph Celentano said he doesn’t know what will become of the property — a prime piece of shoreline real estate — after Chick’s closes.

Neither Joanne Cristiano, executor of Chick Celentano’s estate, nor lawyer Robert Cohn, who represents the estate, returned calls for comment.

Chick Celentano also left a third son, Lucas Celentano, 10, from his second marriage.

“It sucks, I guess. No other way to put it,” said Michael Celentano, 51. “It’s hard. There are a lot of feelings and a lot of emotions.

“For me, it was a surprise. ... I’m just really sad to see it close,” he said. “After the 15th of November, I don’t think I’ll be driving down Beach Street. ... It’s going to take a lifetime to get over.

“There are a lot of bitter feelings. There are a lot of good feelings,” he said. “There are just a lot of feelings.”

Both older brothers, who used to live with their parents in a house next door to the restaurant, where the Chick’s beach parking lot is now, thanked all the longtime customers who stuck with Chick’s over the years — and everyone who supported it.

“We want to thank all the loyal customers who were still coming here after all these years,” said Joseph Celentano, who works in real estate these days. “They’re the ones who made the business.”

Michael Celentano said there are a lifetime of memories inside Chick’s, which he said is where he met his first date, where he met his prom date and where he met his wife.

“So many stories came out of that restaurant. You could fill a book,” he said. “I mean, all of the people — the amount of people that it’s served. It blew my mind how well-known the place became.”

Mayor Ed O’Brien agreed — and said he’d be sorry to see Chick’s go.

“It’s part of West Haven history and I hate to see it close,” O’Brien said. “But time marches on. It’s a shame.”

Both older brothers said business had dropped off in recent years compared to what it was when they were younger, but Joseph Celentano said Chick’s was still busy in the summertime.

“It had dwindled over the last 6-7 years,” said Joseph Celentano. “It was a combination of things. They lost the beach” in several large, severe storms, including Tropical Storm Irene and Superstorm Sandy. “That, the economy, the change in the way people eat.”

Through it all, Chick’s also had some remarkably loyal employees, some of whom have been working there for more than a decade, as well as a fair share of loyal customers .

“It’s really sad,” said cashier Crazina Boone, who has worked at Chick’s for six years. “I didn’t think it would ever close. ... We’ve all been here a long time.

“A lot of people are shocked,” she said. “One lady actually cried when I told her.”

As she spoke, Ruy DaSilva of Waterbury, who has been coming to Chick’s since he was 15 and is now 43, ordered some food and got the bad news.

“Aw, that sucks!” he said. “That’s so sad. ... I’m so bummed.” He said he and his friends used to ride down to Chick’s on their motorcycles.

“It’s not only a place where you can stop and look around,” but it has “good food, too,” DaSilva said. “I call it, like, old school.”

Cook Ramone Simon has worked at Chick’s for nine years and “it’s difficult” to watch it wind down, he said. Now, “I have to look for a job.”

Simon, a native of the Dominican Republic who still prefers to speak in Spanish, said everyone at the restaurant is nice. He thanked the owners and managers for everything they’ve done for him and the other employees over the years.

Chick Celentano, who began working in his father’s East Avenue meat market in the 1940s, started Chick’s Drive-In in October 1950 — selling hot dogs and hamburgers with his father out of their garage to traffic lined up to get to the old Savin Rock amusement park.

From that humble beginning on the edge of Savin Rock, he built one of the biggest and best-known shorefront hot dog and seafood joints in Connecticut.

Celentano knew how to market and take advantage of an opportunity. When seafood prices rose, he introduced new, non-seafood sandwiches and smaller “mini-Blue Plates” to keep prices down. When the city began charging out-of-towners to park, Celentano put a big sign up offering “Free Beach Parking” in his lot.

That free beach parking is just one of the things that will be lost when the restaurant closes its doors on Nov. 15.