Kennedy's Ice Cream And Grill at 400 Railroad St sits on a parcel that has been part of New Glarus's railroad and riverfront commercial strip since the late 19th century.
The building started life tied to the Chicago & North Western Railway spur and shifted from freight and merchant uses to retail in the 1920s–30s as the village center evolved into a commercial spine.
Kennedy's in its current ice-cream-and-grill form dates from the early 1980s when a local family converted the old storefront into a summer-focused creamery and counter diner, keeping salt-of-the-earth, Midwest soda-fountain service at its core.
Ownership changed in the late 1990s and again in the 2010s; current operators refreshed the interior but preserved the original counter and menu staples like malts, root beer floats, brats, and burgers.
The business model emphasizes local dairy and classic grilled fare, reflecting its founders' regional dairy connections and a focus on tourist and family traffic tied to New Glarus’s Swiss-themed events and brewery visitors.
