Parkade’s Shady Glen shutters
In the same week that its famous “Bernice Original” burger earned a spot on The Daily Meal’s “101 Best Burgers in America” list, Shady Glen has closed its location at the Manchester Parkade, according to reports.
Owner Billy Hoch confirmed in a statement to WFSBthat the Parkade location was closing after more than five decades, citing COVID-19’s effect on the business. The restaurant’s original location, at 840 East Middle Turnpike close to the Bolton line, will remain open.
“We have worked very hard for the past 8 months to try and keep the business viable,” Hoch said in the statement. He did not respond to requests for further comment.
The vintage-style diner restaurant at 360 West Middle Turnpike reportedly closed at the end of service Saturday. Visitors posted farewell photos of their last visits to Facebook, honoring the 55-year-old eatery.
Shady Glen has attracted national atten
tion for its unique burger, which features a corona of fried cheese. The cooks create the classic by placing four slices of cheese atop the patty, extended so that the cheese melts and then crisps upon contact with the grill. Some customers skip the burger altogether and just order plates of the brittle cheese.
The restaurant earned an “America’s Classic” award from the James Beard Foundation in 2012, which recognize the nation’s “beloved regional restaurants ... with timeless appeal.” The cheeseburger has been featured in food writer George Motz’s book, “Hamburger America,” and in Esquire magazine in 2007, as one of the “five most decadent burgers in the United States.”