The Forbes Diner stood as a gleaming symbol of mid-20th-century American roadside culture at 189 Forbes Avenue in New Haven, Connecticut (technically on the East Haven line), just off Route 1 and beneath the shadow of the Interstate 95 “Q” Bridge. Its story reflects the classic rise and fall of family-run diners in industrial New England.
The diner began modestly in the late 1930s or early 1940s as a small trolley-style car purchased from Bessitte & Lawson, seating only about 42 people with trolley windows and a sliding front door. In the post-World War II boom, Andrew “Andy” Ezold Sr., his wife, and son Andrew Ezold Jr. took ownership and transformed it. By 1957, they replaced the original with a brand-new, state-of-the-art stainless-steel Fodero Dining Car — one of the last great factory-built diners from the golden era. The new Forbes featured sweeping curves, pink Formica counters, mirrored walls, and a massive neon sign, expanding to handle the flood of customers from nearby factories, docks, and highways.
Under Andy Ezold Jr.’s leadership from the 1950s onward, the diner became a 24/7 beacon for New Haven’s working class. It drew Exxon (formerly Esso) tanker drivers coating cars in black residue, U.S. Steel and Saab workers, dockhands, Guyotte and Cheppio Bus Co. employees, Mobil and Texaco crews, and locals with nicknames like Jughead, Freddie, Pinhead, Soupbone, and Brother Capolla. Night-shift regular Harry held court in the corner booth, while waitresses like Dotty, Glenna, Alice, Debbie, and Cookie served generations with smiles and endless coffee refills. The Ezold family — Andy, his wife of over 57 years, and their seven children (including Peter, Dan, Karen, Kristie, Andrew III, James, and Gregory) — all pitched in, learning short-order cooking, customer service, and life lessons amid the chaos.
The diner wasn’t just food (though the hot cakes dripping in butter and syrup were legendary); it was community. Politicians hashed deals over breakfast, families grabbed late-night bites through the back door, and it provided steady jobs through tough economic times in the Annex/Fair Haven neighborhood. As sons Peter and Dan later recalled, their father taught them to “treat people the same, ignore prejudices,” turning the Forbes into an extended family for employees who stayed decades.
By the early 1990s, changing highways, suburban flight, and rising costs took their toll. The Ezolds closed the diner in 1994 after nearly 40 years. It reopened in 1998 under new owner Helmi “Mo” Ali, who kept the spirit alive for another decade. But marginal business and persistent offers from Dunkin’ Donuts finally won out. In early 2008, the land was sold, and the iconic structure was carefully dismantled and moved — first to storage on a Fair Haven lot for six years, then in 2014 to Salisbury in northwest Connecticut for restoration as a new diner (possibly under a different name).
Today, a Dunkin’ Donuts occupies the original site, but the Forbes lives on in memories, Library of Congress photos from 1976, and heartfelt Facebook tributes from the Ezold children and patrons. It embodied the hard-working, inclusive heart of New Haven — a place where truckers, factory workers, kids, and politicians all shared a booth, proving that in a diner, everyone was family.
History and quotes related to the Forbes Diner:
Dan Ezold – December 18, 2014 at 11:08 am I am the second son of Andrew Ezold Jr., Dan. I will never will forget the Forbes Diner as a place where our entire family including uncles, aunts, my grandmother, and cousins all worked together to create a fun and fond memory of growing up. The same is true for our family of employees who worked with us for many years – even decades. Dotty, Glenna (there were 2), Alice, Shelly, Marion, John, Waldo, Jimmy, Joe, Marty, Eleanor, Gladys, Rose, Fran, Betty, Elaine, Debby, Jim, Zuma, Sue, Faith, and many others I’m sure I’d think of if I kept going back. People worked hard in those days and often had to sacrifice personal matters for the overall good of the business. Restaurant business is tough no matter how you slice it. It’s not just about the food, it’s about the customer, the building, the mechanics, the cleaning, the ordering, the coordination, employee relations, planning, getting through tough times, competition, pricing, economic spikes, and wondering what the future would bring, just to name a few considerations. The entire diner “family” made it look much easier than I’m sure it was. The regular customers completed the family picture with many good times, conversations and friendships. I look back at those diner days with a wonderful perspective of what it was like to grow up in a hard-working, fun-loving, and diverse group of fine individuals. I was very lucky to have been a part of it all. I do miss the Forbes.
Peter Ezold (Andy’s oldest son) – August 2014 I am Peter, Andy’s oldest son and I remember the Forbes Diner well. It is where I grew up and met many friends. My Dad, Andy, was the best father. He taught me a lot of things about life in that diner. How to treat people, ignore prejudices by treating people the same… (continues with memories of customers, Exxon drivers, Texaco, Mobil, Guyotte, Cheppio Bus Co., U.S. Steel, Saab, dock workers, CT Coke, Jenny and Ralph, Harry on nights, Richard Esposito, Jughead, Freddie, brother Capolla, Debbie, Lou from the Exxon station, Lou from Guyotte, Dottie the waitress, Cookie, etc.) …I miss a lot of that Diner as if it had a life of its own.
Andrew “Andy” Ezold (the owner) – June 24, 2008 at 12:17 am Hi, I’m Andy Ezold. My Dad, Mom & I started the Forbes Diner buying it from Bessitte & Lawson. It was a small Trolley Diner seating 42 people… We had the new one built in 1957… (he talks about being open 24/7, the Exxon/Esso/Saab/auto businesses around it, Harry on night shift, raising 7 kids who all worked there, now retired with his wife of 57 years).
Richard Esposito – April 24, 2012 at 4:35 pm Andy, I would like to tell I had a perfect childhood growing up, and you helped. On Sat. morning my father took my 2 brothers and me for HOT CAKES! dripping with butter & maple syrup …the year was 1955-1961- Pinhead was next store in his gas station, my grandparents lived on Wheeler St… and Jughead, Tato, Soupbone, Corkey were always around…The waitress I think was Dottie or Dolly?
