Remembering Shakey's Pizza in Nashua, N.H.

With its corporate chain restaurant status, Shakey's Pizza Parlor, on the Daniel Webster Highway, in Nashua, N.H., might not have been your classic New England dining spot, but it sure was classic in the sense of fond local dining childhood memories.

The dark, cavernous room with a player piano and Laurel and Hardy movies playing made the hand-tossed fresh pizza even that much better. Add some full-bodied root beer and Shakey's became one of our our favortite "cheap eats" places within radar of our Arlington, Mass., home. Going to Shakey's usually occurred after a day of beach fun at Silver Lake State Park in nearby Hollis, N.H.

Shakey's is long gone, a victim of Pheasant Lane Mall area development. I often wonder if Shakey's would have the same favorable effect on us today. The answer is probably "yes," as you can never go wrong with good pizza, a rollicking player piano and Laurel and Hardy getting into mishap after mishap!

For more on Shakey's and other New England restaurants that are no longer with us, we encourage you to read our "Great memories of New England restaurants that are no longer with us" article.