Faces of Westport: Jeff Arciola, Owner of Jr's Hot Dog Stand

It's closing time at Jr's Hot Dog Stand on Riverside Avenue. Regulars finish a late lunch over a newspaper; a straggler or two may come in and order a burger to go just before the grill is turned off.

Jr's is a classic Mom-and-Pop, family-run eatery in Westport -- and at the heart of that family is Jeff Arciola.

Arciola is a lifelong Westport resident. He's a Staples High School Class of 1987 graduate who went on to Johnson & Wales University, where he studied culinary arts and food service management.

But his career in the food industry began long before Johnson & Wales, when Arciola would spend a lot of time with his Italian grandmother and mother in the kitchen.

"I always loved cooking," he said. One of his favorite recipes to make is chicken marsala. Arciola also likes to make homemade pizza with his three children.

Besides being behind a well-known eatery in town, Arciola's family is rather established in Westport. His great grandparents emigrated from Italy to Westport in the early 20th century and settled in the "Italian section" -- Franklin Street, according to Arciola.

His grandfather, father, and uncle were all Westport firefighters and worked out of the Saugatuck station.

"I would ride my bike and hang out at the station with my father and grandfather," Arciola said.

Other childhood memories include going to Jr's as a kid, skating on Round Pond, hanging out with friends downtown, collecting goose and chicken eggs from his uncle, and playing on a Little League team.

"It's changed a lot, but it's still a great town," Arciola said.

Arciola took over Jr's nine years ago. The eatery was opened in 1976 by his cousins Carol and John "Junior" Bieling. Arciola had experience managing Silvermine 19, a restaurant at Norwalk's Silvermine Golf Club.

"They were ready to retire and gave me the opportunity to come in. They had a good business for 20-some odd years," Arciola said.

What started as a hot dogs and hamburgers joint evolved into a place serving burgers, dogs, salads, sandwiches, wraps, grinders, and daily specials.

Bestsellers "are different everyday," Arciola said, but there are two popular specialties:  

There's the Riverside: "It's a homemade sausage patty with onions, peppers, and cheese," Arciola said.

And then there's the homemade macaroni salad with a dollop of chili. "It's a specialty started by my cousins."

Arciola not only expanded Jr's menu, but its scope. He began Jr's Hot Dog Truck three years ago and "it's taken off. It's crazy."

He's "really, really busy" with the truck -- especially in the summer, when he's out five or six days a week, peddling hot dogs and hamburgers.

But Arciola doesn't mind -- after all, the truck allows him to do more of what he loves (besides cooking).

"I meet a lot of people all day long. They're not just customers -- they're relationships. Kind of like a family."

Learn more about Jr's Hot Dog Stand -- or how to have Arciola cater your next party with the hot dog truck -- here. Or, just stop in and say hi.