Classic 100-year-old restaurant unexpectedly closing forever | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

The news over the past few years in the restaurant space has been bleak. What has always been a challenging business got harder — eateries had to close their dining rooms during the Covid pandemic, and many never recovered from that.

Operating a restaurant has always been a challenging business, but one widely believed stat is not actually true.

“Do 9 out of 10 restaurants fail in their first year, as commonly claimed? No. Survival analysis of 1.9 million longitudinal microdata for 81,000 full-service restaurants in a 20-year U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics non-public census of business establishments in the western US shows that only 17 percent of independently owned full-service restaurant startups failed in their first year, compared with 19 percent for all other service-providing startups,” a Cornell University study showed.

Still, most restaurants don’t make it for five years.

“The median lifespan of restaurants is about 4.5 years, slightly longer than that of other service businesses (4.25 years). However, the median lifespan of a restaurant startup with 5 or fewer employees is 3.75 years, slightly shorter than that of other service businesses of the same startup size (4 years),” the data showed.

When most restaurants don’t make it five years, surviving for 100 years is a true feat. One beloved Connecticut restaurant hit that milestone, but has decided to close its doors.

Jimmies of Savin Rock created a legacy

Jimmies of Savin Rock had a modest start.

“The famous restaurant, now located at 5 Rock Street in West Haven, started in 1925 as a hot dog stand called ‘Moxie’ that was known as the birthplace of the split hot dog,” Connecticut’s Patch reported.

And while split hot dogs are more of a regional than a national thing, the technique has its advantages.

“Split dogs (of any variety) hug the sides of an open bun, leaving a deep and spacious center channel to fill with sauces and toppings like chunky relish, a pile of sauerkraut, or fresh salsa. If your plan is to branch out beyond basic French’s, there’s no better way to make space for the extras, and create a level of sear that can stand up to anything you want to add,” Kendra Vaculin wrote at Epicurious.

Jimmies at Savin Rock still offers split hot dogs, but the eatery has become much more than that. For a period, it was even a part of an attempt to create a Connecticut version of Coney Island.

“An important part of Jimmies and the town of West Haven’s History open from 1870-1966. The Savin Rock park took inspiration from Coney Island with grand piers stretching out into the water, grand piers, race tracks you name it, the Savin Rock park was beloved by many bringing people in from all corners of Connecticut,” the restaurant shared on its website.

Jimmies of Savin Rock claims to have invented the split hot dog.

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Jimmies of Savin Rock is closing forever

The restaurant’s famous split hot dog was actually created out of necessity.

“In the early days, the Moxie stand was set next to the trolley line of West Haven. When it would stop, the motor man/conductor would stop for a quick hot dog. To cook the hot dog quickly enough for the trolley operator, they would split the hot dog down the middle, grill it, and put it on a toasted bun. Over time, it became so popular that it became Jimmies way,” the company shared.

The current Jimmies building opened in 1974.

“Due to changing policies within West Haven in the early 70’s prohibiting over-the-counter take-out, Jimmies transformed to a modern dining experience with a full-service dining room,” according to its website.

The town did change the law, and takeout is now offered again, but Jimmies fans only have until December 7, the restaurant’s final day, to try once again.

More Restaurants

Jimmies owners shared the restaurant’s fate in a Facebook post.

“Words can’t fully express how grateful we are for your loyalty, your laughter, your stories, and the memories you’ve made here with us over the decades. To every family that made us part of their weekends, celebrations, and everyday moments, thank you for making Jimmies more than just a restaurant,” it shared.

The owners hope customers come by to pay their respects.

“As we prepare to say goodbye, we invite you to come out and dine with us one last time. Join us for one more meal, one more memory, and one last bite at Jimmies of Savin Rock. Thank you all for 100 years of Jimmies,” they added.

U.S. restaurants that are at least 100 years old:

Tadich Grill: Founded 1849 Source: Tadich Grill
Antoine’s Restaurant: Founded 1840 Source: Antoines
Buckhorn Exchange: Founded 1893 Source: Buckhorn
McGillin’s Olde Ale House: Founded 1860 Source: McGillins
The Old Clam House: Founded 1861 Source: The Old Clam House
Middleton Tavern: Established 1750 Source: Middleton Tavern
Union Oyster House: In continuous operation since 1826 Source: Union Oyster House
Old Homestead Steakhouse: Frequently listed among the oldest steakhouses in the U.S. (founded in 1868, per several historical‑restaurant lists) Source: Old Homestead Steakhouse
Breitbach’s Country Dining: Founded 1852 Source: Breitbach’s Country Dining

Restaurant operators share the secrets of longevity

“Don’t be afraid to work long, long hours,” Gino Ferraro, owner of Ferraro’s Restaurant in Las Vegas, told Restaurant Hospitality. “After 31 years, I still come to work almost every day. If I weren’t here all the time, we probably wouldn’t have survived 31 years.”

Les Barnes, who took over operations at London Lennie’s in Queens, New York, in 1977 (the restaurant has been in business since 1959), believes that staff is key.

“There’s no way you can have longevity without a great staff; we have people who have been with us for 30-plus years. Treat your staff like family, be concerned about their life outside of work, be understanding of their needs and the needs of the restaurant,” he said.

Alex Susskind, associate professor of Food and Beverage Management at Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, thinks there’s one thing in common between all restaurants that make it to the 100-year mark.

“There’s one thing that holds true,” he told Serve It Up Safe. “It’s consistency — doing the same thing day in and day out for your customers, growing and developing with them. It’s not giving into trends and fads, but knowing who they are and why they’re coming.”

Brad Rosenstein, president and owner of Jack’s Oyster House in Albany, N.Y., which just celebrated its 100th anniversary, believes that if guests are the first priority, staff is just behind that.

“Making the staff feel appreciated, empowering each individual to take ownership of their position and allowing them to make mistakes (as long as they didn’t do it on purpose) is so important,” he told Restaurant Business.