Frogurt Time, Brownstone House Open for Business on Route 1

Nearby Guilford boasts two new healthy, fresh culinary establishments, both of which have opened up within the last couple months and are located within walking distance of each other.

Frogurt Time: 'This is a Happy Business'

Open for almost two months, Frogurt Time, located in the CVS Plaza where Fleischman’s department store used to be, offers a fresh, healthy alternative for the sweet tooth.

A pharmacist for the last 20 years, Yong Kwon decided to open Frogurt Time, along with his wife, Youngmi, after travelling to California and tasting the product.

“It was really, really good and we really, really liked it,” said Kwon. 

He explained that his 6-year-old and 8-year-old are frozen yogurt fans and, “I thought it was a lot healthier than ice cream with the great toppings, all the selections … I think that’s a really good marriage.”

As a self-service business, Kwon said customers love that they can choose their own portion size and build their own treat from a wide selection of toppings. 

Yogurt fans can choose from eight different flavors, including the ever-present vanilla, chocolate and original tart.  In addition, every other week a new flavor is introduced. Recent new flavors have included New York Cheesecake, Mango Tango Sorbet, no-sugar-added Strawberry Banana, Peanut Butter and Coconut.

With the yogurt as a base, toppings can be added to make special, unique creations.  These include raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, nuts, granola, Kit Kats, Butterfingers, gummy bears and chocolate and caramel sauce.

“This is a happy business,” Kwon said, adding that it is great to be in a business where “the customers are happy, the workers are happy ... that’s just the way to do it!”

Brownstone House: Quality is Job 1

Another family-owned business, right up Route 1 from Frogurt Time, is the newly opened Brownstone House Restaurant of Guilford. Housed in the building previously occupied by Friendly’s, is it owned by Greg Klonaras and George Giosmas. 

These days you will find both owners cooking and their wives, Stella Klonaras and Penny Giosmas, working the register and making sure diners are happy.

Brownstone comes to Guilford with a 63-year history in Hamden and another location in Meriden. With over 32 years of restaurant experience between Klonaras and Giosmas, the partners take great pride in the food they serve. 

“In the beginning we do a little bit of everything,” said Klonaras.  “We train a lot of people, but some of those, they cannot meet our standards, so we keep training until eventually we’re not going to be here cooking.”

The Brownstone prepares meals as they are ordered, with the freshest ingredients.  Nothing is pre-prepared and it may take longer to make, but this is “The Brownstone Way,” explained Klonaras.  Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Klonaras said their salads are the best around.

“We do it on the spot. It’s very hard, especially when you’re busy,” he explained.  “You have to be fast and efficient and knowledgeable.”

Choosing to open their third restaurant in Guilford was a very good business decision, said Klonaras.

“I am very happy,” said Klonaras. “As soon as we came here (First Selectman Joseph Mazza) sent us a letter and he said, ‘We welcome you to Guilford.’

"I met the first selectman and I told him, 'I am very happy for what you did.  It increased my morale.’”

“They loved the visibility of that particular spot,” said Guilford Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Janet Testa.  “It gets a tremendous traffic count and they’re an established business … so this is somebody that is very, very used to the restaurant trade and is going to be extremely successful.”

Testa said both the Brownstone House and Frogurt Time add a great deal to the Route 1 corridor.

“That little stretch of Route 1 is filling in so nicely with businesses that are really going to service the Guilford population,” she said.  “They’re things that are really needed and have been identified by the economic development commission as really needed businesses, so we’re really excited to have them amongst us.”

IF YOU GO

Frogurt Time

Address: 1065 Boston Post Road

Phone: (203) 458-1260

Hours: Through August: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday; starting in September: 11 a.m.  to 10 p.m. weekdays, 11 a.m.  to 11 p.m. weekends.

The Brownstone House Restaurant of Guilford

Address: 961 Boston Post Road

Hours: (203) 458-1238

Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week