The line outside West Hartford’s new Shake Shack on Friday morning started with John Henze from Portland, an avid fan who has been to many of the chain’s New York locations.
“I was excited because I don’t have to drive to New Haven anymore, or Westport,” he said. “I just like the burgers a lot. I think they’re the best burgers of that style, anywhere.”
Shortly after 10:30 a.m., the line behind Henze built quickly as customers jockeyed to get a first taste of Shake Shack’s burgers, fries, chicken sandwiches and frozen custard desserts. The restaurant in West Hartford’s Corbin Collection retail property celebrated its grand opening Friday, marking the 172nd location of the “fine casual” restaurant, which has locations in Darien, New Haven, Westport — and worldwide.
Angela Scott of Avon, third in line, said she had never tried Shake Shack before and came to satisfy her curiosity. “I figured I’d come over for the grand opening and see what it’s like, and get a chance to experience it,” she said.
“I’m excited about the whole thing coming together,” she said of Corbin Collection, which was also hosting a grand opening party that morning at its new REI store.
The opening was a homecoming of sorts for Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer, the CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group, who earned a degree in political science from Trinity College in 1980 and remains connected to his alma mater as a trustee and parent of a current student.
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony with West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor, members of the town council and Chamber of Commerce and Shake Shack staff, Meyer told the crowd he was “getting goosebumps” seeing the new restaurant.
“It’s incredibly gratifying to be part of the renaissance that you all created here in West Hartford,” he said.
Cantor praised Meyer’s team and his “creative, innovative pride” as she thanked him for bringing the restaurant to the town.
Meyer spent time chatting with customers as they streamed into the restaurant, even signing copies of his books for Henze.
Shake Shack’s team connected with several local restaurants in greater Hartford, delivering “staff meals” of burgers and sandwiches to kitchens in the area Thursday night, including Bear’s Smokehouse, Cook and the Bear, Zohara, Millwright’s and the soon-to-open Porrón & Piña at Hartford’s Goodwin Hotel.
“I happened to be at Firebox when the delivery came there,” Meyer said. The tradition started with Shake Shack’s opening in Miami, he said, the first outside of New York City. “It was the first time we went to a city that wasn’t our own.”
Link and Sharon Hullar of Terryville said they’ve been drawn to Shake Shack’s ability to accommodate customers’ dietary needs. Link, who arrived for lunch Friday clad in a Shake Shack T-shirt, says he has celiac disease and that the restaurant has “terrific gluten-free burgers.”
“When you find a place that really works to meet needs, you support them, he said. “They take care of it and they’re terrific. So that’s a real plus for this place.”
The restaurant chain, which started in New York in 2004 and has grown to become a global brand, is known as a “modern day roadside burger stand.” The West Hartford location will serve local beer by City Steam, Olde Burnside and Thomas Hooker breweries, along with Shake Shack’s exclusive Brooklyn Brewery ShackMeister ale and Shake Red and White wines from Napa’s Frog’s Leap Winery.
Custom “frozen concrete” custards in West Hartford will include Shack Attack (chocolate custard, fudge sauce, chocolate truffle cookie dough, Mast Brothers Shake Shack dark chocolate chunks, topped with chocolate sprinkles), Cookie Butter Blender (vanilla custard, cookie butter, chocolate toffee and chocolate sprinkles) and Pie Oh My (vanilla custard and slice of Four & Twenty Blackbirds seasonal pie). Five percent of sales from the Pie Oh My concrete will benefit the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford.
The 2,888 square-foot Shack will have plenty of indoor seating and an outdoor patio. With Shake Shack’s commitment to green architecture and eco-friendly construction, the West Hartford restaurant’s tabletops will be made by CounterEvolution using reclaimed bowling alley lanes, and chairs will be designed by Uhuru using sustainable materials and booths will be crafted by Staach using lumber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, according to a press release.
Shake Shack is at 1445 New Britain Ave. in West Hartford. shakeshack.com.
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