[E]ffie Ballou started serving soups, ice cream and other snacks out a garage door at the Wayside in 1918 and — 100 years later — it’s still going strong.
Ballou ran what is now called the Wayside Restaurant, Bakery & Creamery in Montpelier until 1945.
“She was just a leading-edge woman who wanted to prove she could do it,” said current co-owner Karen Galfetti-Zecchinelli.
In between, the legendary eatery was owned by Amy and Joseph Fish, who purchased it from Ballou in 1945 and then turned it over to their son, George, in 1954. Twelve years later, Harriet and Eugene Galfetti took over and oversaw seven additions to the original building without ever closing down during renovations.
Their daughter, Karen, and her husband, Brian Zecchinelli, now run the Wayside, where they have focused on improving the restaurant rather than expanding its footprint.
On July 29, the Wayside will mark its 100th year anniversary, elevating it to a tiny slice of the top 1 percent of the nation’s restaurants for longevity. Only about 240 of the nation’s more than a million restaurants have made it that far.
The curse
Baseball has always had a strong presence at the Wayside. The fact that the Boston Red Sox hadn’t won a World Series since the restaurant opened was not lost on the Galfetti family, who offered to return to 1918 food and drink prices the day the Red Sox won another championship.
It became such a sticking point for the restaurant that eventually a banner was created reading, “The Wayside, Established 1918, the last year the Red Sox won the World Series!”
It was also the last year Babe Ruth would play for the Red Sox before joining their hated-rival, the New York Yankees.
After the Sox came up short in the World Series of 1946, 1967, 1975 and 1986, it appeared the Wayside would never have to make good on its pledge.
But, alas, it all changed when Boston finally broke through in 2004. Soon after, the Wayside fulfilled its longstanding promise, serving more than 3,000 customers with the bargain prices. The revelers continued their celebration all day, shouting out their best effort on “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” at the top of every hour.
The banner was officially retired and removed from the Wayside when Julia “Ruth” Stevens, Babe Ruth’s daughter, signed it.
Modern times
Under current management, the Wayside became Montpelier’s first “Green Restaurant” and only the fifth in Vermont. It achieved that by reducing its carbon footprint by adopting such practices as installing solar panels, composting its food scraps, cutting back on transportation and serving locally produced food and drinks.
As of July 1, all of the Wayside’s top-shelf liquors — with the exception of Scotch — are Vermont made. It also now has its own beer flowing from its taps — Anniversary Ale — made by Long Trail Brewing Co. of Bridgewater Corners.
In addition, the restaurant now serves all-day breakfast and has added a creamery.
“The biggest reason why we’ve lasted so long is just excellent employees,” said Galfetti-Zecchinelli. “I mean they really go above and beyond the call of duty every day they’re here and the community can see that.”
Employees are cross-trained, learning the finer points of culinary preparation but also taking shifts serving customers and washing dishes. Its staff of about 60 employees has more than 600 years of combined Wayside experience.
The Wayside can seat about 160 customers and serves up to 1,000 people a day, mostly locals who have been coming for decades.
A century celebration
While the precise date of Effie Ballou’s opening of the garage door remains uncertain, the Wayside will be celebrating the anniversary on July 29 with free ice cream, a commemorative video and fireworks.
To further mark the occasion, the Wayside has pledged to donate $100 worth of funds, volunteer hours or food to 100 charities, churches or school groups.
“Right now it’s a lot of fun just focusing on having a nice restaurant,” said Brian Zecchinelli, current co-owner. “We’re privileged to be a part of it but it’s just something that has worked from day one.”
The celebration that Sunday begins at 6:30 p.m. and will run until 9:30 p.m. The festivities also will continue Monday and Tuesday night.
