How Coney Island brought New York-styled hot dogs to Sioux Falls: Looking back
In 1974, George Gongopoulos opened a small restaurant called Coney Island at the northeast corner of 41st and Elmwood.
It wasn’t the first local eatery to use this name; its predecessor was a favorite downtown lunch stop from the 1940s to the 1960s. The business model Gongopoulos used was similar to that of its downtown cousin: Follow the center of activity.
When the main shopping district shifted southwest, that was the place to build. For Gongopoulos, the road to success was an interesting tale of the American dream the way School House Rock promised it could be.
George Andrew Gongopoulos was born in Athens, Greece on June 1, 1934. He attended school there and after graduation, joined the Hellenic Air Force, where he learned to troubleshoot and maintain aircraft. After his service, he took this knowledge with him to West Germany, where at the time, many Greeks would go when looking for work. There, he was employed as an airline mechanic and planned to take those skills to America.
Gongopoulos arrived in Chicago from Frankfort, Germany on June 23, 1962. He had relatives in South Dakota with whom he could stay. George and Anna Georgeopoulos ran the Frisco Cafe in Mitchell and had since 1917. It was the first cafe in South Dakota to serve Hot Dogs. He stayed with the Georgeopoulos family for 18 months, and attended Dakota Wesleyan University for a year before going to Santa Clara, California to take a business management course.
Gongopoulos returned to South Dakota in 1966, landing in Sioux Falls, and managed the bar at the new Ramada Inn at I-29 and Highway 38 for about eight months. He then joined Theodore Belbas in owning and running the Gaslight Bar at 2206 W. 12th. When it opened, the Gaslight was keen on bringing in patrons with noon buffets six days a week and musical entertainment during the evening hours.
On July 27, 1970, George married Priscilla Huhn. The next year she began what would become an extensive career as a school teacher. Their first child, George Jr., was also born that year. In 1973, Gongopoulos sold the Gaslight and returned to the Ramada, until making the decision to open Coney Island.
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Coney Island was named for a style of hot dog served in a bun; slathered in chili, mustard and onions. The style was created by Greek immigrants and named for New York’s Coney Island. The dogs, sourced through Morrell’s, were not out of the ordinary.
What made these Coney Island dogs special was Gongopoulos’ chili recipe, which was perfected with his own unique blend of spices. Secret spices were also added to his mustard and ketchup, providing a personal touch. According to Gongopoulos, the secret to the perfect hot dog was to prepare it using steam. “Steam locks the flavor in,” he explained. “And I don’t put them in a freezer. The freeze eats the flavor.”
As the years carried on, new restaurants opened on 41st Street, and Coney Island became less noticeable to consumers.
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Burger King opened across the street in 1975, and Pizza Hut was just down the street. The cultural fascination with Coney Island dogs, Gongopoulos’ bread and butter, lessened. He was still able to make a living during this time, but in 1988, a $12 million road project in front of his store became the last straw.
“We already have a tough time making a living," he said at the time. "This I don’t need.”
Coney Island closed on June 30, 1988. Gongopoulos died in August 2013. HIs family still owns the pan in which he prepared his chili. He was a quiet, unassuming man who knew four languages and could strip and reassemble a jet engine, but preferred to sell Coney Island dogs and spend time with his family.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: How 1 man's chili recipe brought New York style hot dogs to Sioux Falls: Looking back
