Fairfield's Twin Icons: Rawley's and Dairy Queen

There's a term in journalism called "burying the lede," which means that the writer has failed to put the most important information first, and instead has "buried" it a few paragraphs down. I won't do that to you here.

Before getting all sentimental and nostalgic, I'll just give you the goods right off the bat. Number one: Dairy Queen, everyone's favorite summer spot for post-Little League and late-night ice cream cones is going to go through some major changes after this season. Once they close in November, renovations will be made to the iconic red-roofed building that has stood on the Post Road since 1950. And number two: on July 22, the Bank of Fairfield will be sponsoring an evening of Big Band music on the town green, and Chico, formerly of Rawley's fame, will be slinging hot dogs for the event. If you've lived in Fairfield for more than eight years, you know what a treat that will be.

Okay, so now that we've gotten that out of the way, let me back up a little.

Rawley's and Dairy Queen are two peas in a pod, twin institutions, if you will. They are stuff teenage memories are made of. Rawley's opened in 1947 in what was originally a residence, and then an antiques shop. A dark, tiny house that has seen better days, Rawley's is best known for its hot dogs, followed closely by the burgers and fries.

"It's a shack," said owner Nick Frattaroli. "It doesn't try to be anything but what it is." Ain't that the truth.

It's a miracle the place is still standing, considering that people have been carving their initials into the walls for decades. As a kid, I remember hearing that my brother and his friends had carved their names on the ceiling. I thought that was the coolest thing ever. I asked Frattaroli if carving is technically allowed. "We don't discourage it," he said. "But we don't supply the knives."

To this day, a hot dog with the "works"—mustard, relish, sauerkraut and real bacon bits—makes up 80 percent of the sales.

Before Frattaroli bought the business almost eight years ago, Chico was the man behind the counter wearing the greasy white apron, deep-frying the dogs and running a tight ship. Local legend has it that Chico sold the business, then took the money and ran to Florida. "No, no," Frattaroli laughed. "Chico hasn't been in Florida. He's still local."

Over the years, Rawley's has gained national fame, thanks to reviews by Michael and Jane Stern ("Roadfood") and Martha Stewart. Hot dog aficionados bicker over which place has better dogs: Rawley's or Super Duper Weenie. Personally, I've never had a hot dog as good as Rawley's, but what do you expect out of something that is both deep-fried and grilled?

Peter Parmelee Jr., a 1977 graduate of Roger Ludlowe High School, recalled what made Rawley's so special. "It was quick, you could sit and watch your food cooked, and most of all, they were great hot dogs. Had mine with mustard, relish and onion and, if I could afford it, I would get a fry."

Oh yeah, the fries. They were (and still are) hand-cut and came with a two-pronged wooden fork, perfect for spearing the ones that got soaked with ketchup.

"Rawley's was hands-down my father's favorite place to stop on his way home from work," said Deanna Lovegren Sheng. "He was a teacher in Norwalk and I'm pretty sure this place was his secret indulgence. I had never seen it (as my dad was extremely frugal), until I spent a day at work with him. On the way home, we stopped at this little red shack and I realized when we ordered that they knew my dad!"

Right next door to Rawley's is Dairy Queen, a national chain, but more than that, a local icon, also owned by Frattaroli.

"It's a tradition," said Frattaroli. "We all grew up eating DQ. In Stamford, me and my buddies would walk to Dairy Queen and have a banana split or a milk shake."

It used to be that Dairy Queen would open in late spring and close in early fall, but now the ice cream stand is open from February until Thanksgiving. The most popular item on the menu? Blizzards. "Without a doubt, Blizzards put us on the map," Frattaroli said. For those who have never had the pleasure, a Blizzard is soft ice cream mixed up with any number of goodies, from Oreos to Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Drive by DQ on a hot summer's night and you'll see a line of people, from young to old, waiting to get a cool treat. Just last week I bought my son his first Dilly Bar (a circle of vanilla ice cream on a stick, dipped in chocolate, cherry or butterscotch). He ate the entire chocolate-dipped one and almost half of my butterscotch. And so, we see how the memories begin.

Part of the appeal of Dairy Queen is that it's a walk-up. There's no place to sit (unless you count the few benches lined up against the side of the building, or your car's bumper.) But regulars have no need to fear; the new-and-improved DQ will still be a seasonal, place-your-order-at-the-window kind of place. The only difference is that it'll be bigger and they'll be offering smoothies in addition to all their other drinks and desserts. "I've been toying with the idea of renovating for years," said Frattaroli. The new building will have a flat-topped roof and red-and-white striped awnings. "We're not taking anything away," he said. "We're just adding to it."