The Art Bradish Snack Bar is a summer favorite

Since 1937, the Art Bradish Snack Bar in North Grafton has been a beloved summer refuge for people looking to eat at a seasonal roadside stand. No frills, just good, locally made food.

Don’t let the name fool you, at the snack bar you can order seafood like fish and chips and fried clams, in addition to chili, sides (fries, onion rings, beans, coleslaw, chips), chicken tenders, hot dogs (long and regular) and burgers (veggie, turkey). Customers can eat alfresco at picnic tables or order takeout.

Owners Dick and Sandy Bradish said the family business has been a Grafton landmark, providing quality food products for generations. The Grafton Board of Selectmen recognized the business for its more than 50 years of dedicated service in Grafton, thanking the owners for their family’s contributions and commitment to the town and its residents. Check out the Bradish Business Facebook page for more information.

Dick Bradish’s grandfather founded the business across the street from where the snack bar now stands. On Facebook, there is a photo of what the stand looks like with billboards advertising hamburgers, hot dogs, popcorn, candy and tobacco. “Dick’s dad took over the business and then it was our turn,” Sandy Bradish said. “Yes, Dick?” Her husband nodded yes, not missing a beat as he peeled the sweet onions, preparing them for fried onion rings, a top seller at the stand.

So why has this business been successful for so long?

“There’s always going to be ups and downs, but you get through the tough times and you work hard,” said Dick Bradish. “We’ve made a name for ourselves and people know we’re here. We don’t have to advertise.” The business has a loyal following and is also a generational thing, he said.

Sandy Bradish said persistence helped, too. “Here at the stand, we all have our own jobs. I take care of the business end of things, paperwork, scheduling, and stuff like that, while Dick helps out behind the scenes like peeling onions and gathering ingredients. We have both worked on the lower windows and will still help if needed.”

Bradish said her husband is taking things a little easier this season as a result of health issues that arose last winter. “Honestly, we didn’t know if we were going to be able to open the grandstand, but here we are and we’re both doing well,” Sandy Bradish said. “Our son, Richard Jr., is very helpful and works on our cakes. He owns a business and is able to lend a hand in the season.” The company has 10 part-time employees.

Dick and Sandy Bradish are no strangers to the food service industry. They owned a breakfast and lunch spot for nine years on Cape Cod in East Dennis, where they live. They live in Sutton during the summer. “When we close in North Grafton on Labor Day, Dick and I go back home to the Cape,” Sandy Bradish said. “Food service is not easy, no matter how big or small the operation. We enjoy our free time and have traveled a lot in the winter in recent years, sometimes spending months in Costa Rica and weeks on the Vineyard (Martha’s Vineyard). We like the beach.”

The couple will have been married 54 years in September. Originally from Grafton, they were “high school sweethearts”. They have three grown children and four grandchildren. A teenage grandson now works part-time at the snack bar. “It’s his first year and he’s new to the job, he had an 18th party recently,” Sandy Bradish said. “He did great,” she said, adding that her grandson said he wasn’t nervous about taking food orders for such a large party. “Maybe he was small,” his grandmother said proudly.

Art Bradish Snack Bar is open from 11.30am to 7.30pm Tuesday to Saturday; Sunday noon to 7:30 p.m. Monday closed. Showcase service, in addition to takeout, by calling (508) 839-3992. Cash or credit cards. Log in on Facebook. Note: Alcoholic beverages are not permitted on the Grafton property. Refreshments are available.

Friday is a seafood day and specials include fresh fish (haddock) and chips and scallops. About the onion rings: Fried thin and crispy, customers say they’re good even as a snack. As for the fries, try them with Sandy Bradish’s Homemade Chili. Cheese is an additional option.

These days, customers sometimes wait in the parking lot 15 to 30 minutes before Art Bradish Snack Bar opens, according to its owners.

Some would say it’s a good measure of success for a business.

Block party on Water Street

“Wednesdays on Water” is a new free party in Worcester’s Canal District starting July 17 from 6-9 p.m.

Pulse Magazine and the Canal District Association are inviting the public to join the celebration of food, live music, vendors and more. Local band, Colt & The Coyotes will provide entertainment, performing a mix of covers and original music.

The Water Street block party will extend from Harrison Street to Pond Street. Organizers said the Worcester Police Department will block off the area to ensure the safety of all participants.

Water Street businesses that will sell food include Suzette Creperie and Café, 126 Water St.; Bombay Lounge Indian Bar and Restaurant, 64 Water St.; Boland’s Bar and Patio (Irish pub), 81 Water St; Italian restaurant Russo, Str. Water 65; Queen’s Cup, Str. Water 56. Local artisans with specialty products for sale will be located in Lot Strada Apei, Str. Water 85.

The block party is presented by Pulse Magazine, Haddad Enterprises, Island Auto Repair and Towing, Table Talk Pies, Good Chemistry Nurseries, The Worcester Red Sox, Zawada Insurance Agency, Local 336 Carpenters Union, Cossin Media, Haddad Auto Detail, Cantiani Insurance Agency , Radio Worcester, Discover Central Massachusetts, 508 Audio Innovations, Senator Michael O. Moore and Candy Mero-Carlson.

The next “Water Wednesday” event is scheduled for August 21. Organizers hope more dates will be added in early fall.

If you have an idea about the column, call (508) 868-5282. Email [email protected].