New Way Lunch returning to Glens Falls

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. (NEWS10) - The city of Glens Falls is home to a local hot dog legend - one that hasn't been open downtown for over two years. The family behind it is now hoping to bring the "New Way" back to its old home sometime this fall.

The New Way Lunch eatery on South Street downtown is set to get a makeover, according to Alexandria Gazetos Mineo, daughter of owner Peter Gazetos and manager of the restaurant's Queensbury location. The storefront at 21 South St. isn't the same building where New Way Lunch was first established in back in 1919. That's okay, though; in that much time, the family has grown used to change.

"Every couple of decades, you have to think about updating the vibe on the inside," Mineo said. "We're just going to do the best we can."

The family is investing in the addition of a new area on the rear of the building, mainly to be used for storage. The cozy seating area's booths and tables will stay more or less the same, but will be accompanied by outdoor seating down the alley between New Way and the larger former theater building next door, which currently houses a mix of businesses and apartments. A metal roof down the alley will give diners some cover as they enjoy the 100+ year family tradition of hot dogs with the works.

The family hopes to reopen its Glens Falls home in September or October. Getting the facelift done hasn't come easily, with construction costs better than they've been during the COVID-19 era of supply chain issues, but with things still busy. New Way's Queensbury and Warrensburg locations have kept running, after shutting down when it was first required in 2020.

"It's been tough. When there were a lot of restrictions on seating, operating at half capacity in a building as small as (the South Street location), it's just not worth being open," Mineo said. "Really, we've been so lucky that we serve a lot of takeout."

Downsizing to two locations had its benefits. Before it shut down, the Glens Falls location was run by Mineo's brother, Nicholas Gazetos, while Alexandira ran the Queensbury location. The shutdown, compounded with staffing shortages, meant that the siblings have been working together in Queensbury for the last two years - time together that both have cherished.

That said, Nicholas is excited to get behind the Glens Falls counter again. The city where it all started for New Way Lunch is happy to hear that its favorite hot dog is making a comeback.

"Since it's been closed, I have 10 to 15 people ask every day when we're going to reopen it," Mineo said. "It's important to the town. We have generations of customers who came there with their grandparents, and now come with their kids."

The September-October timeframe is tentative, but the family is hopeful. In future years, new looks could then be on the way at New Way Lucnh's Queensbury and Warrensburg locations, too - but the sauce on a hot dog with the works will never change.