The Real Swanky Franks is Back!!

They're back and better than ever...

Norwalk's Swanky Franks is swankier than before

By KATHRYN HIGGINS
Hour Correspondent

If you've seen Swanky Franks, right on Route 1 in Norwalk off of I-95 Exit 14, you may have been taken aback by its utilitarian façade and dirt parking lot. It looks like a truck stop from the rural South has plopped down in the middle of suburban Fairfield County. But if you decide to give it a try this weekend, you'll be fighting the Range Rovers for a spot on the dirt, as suburban families discover what truckers and traveling salesmen have known all along: Nothing beats a deep-fried hotdog with a grilled bun, hand-cut french-fries and a milkshake on a Saturday afternoon.

On a typical weekend day, Swanky Frank's serves 50 pounds of hot dogs (that's about 400), about 150 pounds of their hand cut French fries (they use a hand crank machine to cut them there in the restaurant) and about 30 pounds of ground beef for burgers. That may not add up to "billions and billions served," but if the parking lot is any proof, it's barely keeping up with Fairfield County's demand for the home-cooked food they serve at the restaurant.

According to owner Drew Satterfield, this diner/hot dog stand/seafood shack has been a Norwalk landmark since 1953, when his grandfather, World War II veteran Alexander Renzuella, bought the then drive-up stand. Renzuella added an indoor seating area in the late '50s, and Swanky Frank's graduated to "restaurant" status. Satterfield's grandmother, Eleanor, worked there with her husband, helping to devise special recipes for chili and strawberry shortcake, and his mother, Bunny (married name Satterfield), also worked there after finishing college.

In the mid 1980s, the Renzuella/Satterfield dynasty decided to take a hiatus, so they leased Swanky Franks out to other restaurateurs. They were not always happy with the way others ran their restaurant, so they decided to take it back this year. They closed the place down, renovated it completely and just re-opened in April with grandson Drew at the helm.
Short order cook Ed Forcier started working for Drew's grandfather at the age of 14 in 1975. When the family left the business, Forcier went to work for South Norwalk Electric & Water. Then, after 26 years, Drew Satterfield called to tell him the family was re-opening the restaurant and invited him back. Now he's running the grill again.

"I've always had visions of coming back here some day," he said.

"The restaurant under Drew's grandfather was all about friendly service, quality food, and keeping the place neat and clean," added Forcier, indicating his shiny new kitchen.

Renzuella's ideals are not the only things in renaissance at Swanky Frank's. Satterfield and Forcier are reintroducing the home-style recipes that Alexander and Eleanor Renzuella used to make Swanky Franks popular.

One of Forcier's favorites is the Chili Dog.

"Drew's grandmother had a recipe for chili that we brought back," he said. "It was a favorite with the customers. A lot of the old customers have come back and they've complimented it."

Swanky Franks is fast food that isn't made fast.

"Everything in the place is home made," said Satterfield. "French fries, onion rings, macaroni salad. The seafood is hand-breaded."

The onion rings are particularly involved, according to Satterfield. They slice the onions into rings and coat them with flour, egg and a secret breadcrumb recipe before deep frying them. And the French fry hand crank is a labor intensive way to make fresh fries in the restaurant, in an era when most just chuck a bag of frozen fries into the vat.

The Swanky Franks alter-ego is New England seaside seafood shack. They serve a variety of fried seafood dinners and "buns," including shrimp, scallops, clam strip, belly clam and sole.

Swanky Franks is known for its fried hot dogs, but according to Forcier, the split and grilled dogs are becoming more popular. Other classics on the menu are Philly cheese steak sandwiches, grilled chicken, sausage and peppers, tuna fish, chicken tenders and BLTs. And the "Extras": bacon, kraut, grilled onions and grilled peppers. The grilled chicken is popular with the more health-conscious customers.

Scott Rowe is a traveling salesmen who can be found at Swanky Franks three or four times a week. He brings his laptop computer and works there after he eats and is on a first-name basis with all the employees. He appreciates the convenience, friendly service and homemade food.

"In the days of McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's, it's nice to have a family owned 'fast food' place," he said.

Does anyone know how this case was finally settled? The judges opinion?

I felt both parties, the original owner, as well as the longtime lessee who had franchised other locations, deserved accommodations of sorts. This article mentions nothing of the latter.

I'd be interested to know.
The Bear

It would seem (if memory serves me right, the previous threads on this issue stated that the person running Swanky was NOT the founder but a lessee. If that is the case, then depending on the language of the contract, once the lease expires or the lessee breaches [if in fact he did breach the contract], then in all liklihood the Swanky tradename and location would revert back to the owner. This is similar to what I learned in first year of law school. A to B provided that x occurs; should y occur, then A reverts. The nightmares just won't go away.

Don't know how the lawyers are making out, but, the whole former crew from the Norwalk Swanky Franks location are opening a new Swanky Franks up in Newtown, CT. The grand opening is to take place this Thursday. Their new location is just down the hill (going south on Rt 25) from the Botsford Drive-In http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=613
This will put them right between Botsford Drive-In and Mr Macs Canteen, all on Rt 25, and all just above the Super Duper Wienie location that closed not too long ago...

Street address is 312 South Main Street, I believe. It was the site of a former Doughnut Hut. I was going by there today and poked my head in and found out the grand opening info. They are still going to operate under the same name that they had used at the Norwalk location, so we will now have two differently owned Swanky Franks about 20 - 25 miles away from each other...( Probably the only ones that will make out on this deal are the lawyers ) Will the REAL Swanky Franks please stand up!!!

Stan...
"Have Hotdog, Will Travel..."

Stan -

Don't forget about the two other Swanky Franks locations -
on Post Road East in Westport (originally a Dairy Queen Brazier), and on Red Bush Lane in Milford (strip mall in back of Krispy Kreme).

The alleged owners of the Swanky trademark (the party that leased the business to the people opening the 'new' Swanky) will probably wait until the new business opens with the name Swanky. I am not the lawyer representing either side; however,if the new location does open with the name Swanky or Swanky's then the owners of the original trademark (the original location) would probably go to court seeking equitable relief in the form of an injunction or TRO (Temporary Restraining Order). If (this is very important) the original owners do have written proof that they only leased the name and the building to the party claiming the mark Swanky, then the court HAS to grant the injunction and order the new business NOT to use the trademark. It all depends on the contract between the parties.

Just because you have been operating a business for years with a name does not mean that the name of the business is yours.

It was my impression that this had already been to court and that there was either a ruling or a settlement.

Any info from any barristers in Connecticut familiar with the matter, or recent news article reporting on the case, would be appreciated.
The Bear

quote:

Originally posted by long dog

Stan -

Don't forget about the two other Swanky Franks locations -
on Post Road East in Westport (originally a Dairy Queen Brazier), and on Red Bush Lane in Milford (strip mall in back of Krispy Kreme).

LD,

No, I didn't forget about these. I was just commenting on the idea of two places, owned by two different people, both operating in the same vicinity, with the same exact name. I am assuming that the Westport and Milford locations are still owned by the "previous Norwalk" owner.

This poses the interesting question of if the one guy had three places open named Swanky Franks, and he loses his lease on one location, does he have to change the names on the other two (now three)???

I've been to the Westport location, but haven't been to Milford, although I am up in Milford on a regular basis. I will have to "Mapquest" Red Bush Lane and check them out. I have been to the Norwalk location a couple of times since they re-opened, but have not been immpressed. They are quite a bit slower with their orders, and one time their kitchen hood system didn't seem to operating properly as that whole side of the building was full of cooking smoke and they were opening the doors and windows to air out the place...

BTW: LD, I think you are from Milford. Do you know what happened to the guy with the hotdog cart across the street from Stop & Shop (Post Road)? I used to see him around last year and he used to wear a big hotdog hat.

Stan...

I don't know about the legal stuff, but they make good fries. I stopped in this past saturday I had a couple of burgers and fries, my wife had a Grilled Hot Dog and my son had a really good looking cheese steak. I wish I had ordered it. If I was in the area again I would probably stop in again.

Stan -

I only threw the other locations in because they fall into your 25 mile radius.

For the Milford location:
Take Exit 39B off I-95 (either direction).
Go about 1/2 mile past the mall.
Take a left at the light where Krispy Kreme is.
That's Red Bush Ln.
It's in a strip mall on the left hand side immediately past the KK driveway.

I'm not familiar with a cart near the Stop & Shop.
I'm closer to the other Stop & Shop.

Thanks for the directions to Milford, long dog. Usually when I am down Milford way I end up at Danny's just over the bridge in Stratford. Danny's does a good burger, but I like chili on my dogs and their's exceedes my threshhold of pain. Now I have a dog spot too!

There sure are plenty of places to choose from in town.

Mr. Mac's Canteen - 2004 Bridgeport Ave (the old Bess Eaton)
Paul's - 829 Boston Post Rd (near North St)
The Greek's - 170 Cherry St (across from Shop Rite)
Duchess - 343 Old Gate Lane (off Exit 40 northbound)
Manny's - 664 New Haven Ave (east of Pond Point Ave)
Swanky Franks - 16 Red Bush Ln