Multi-generation family business placing restaurant, sauce making in Hermitage

Dec. 13—HERMITAGE — If all goes according to plan, M and P Coney Island will be open for business by next summer, bringing a new restaurant to Hermitage while marking a new chapter in a family's century-long history.

The business will be at 600 S. Hermitage Road, the former St. John's Byzantine Catholic Church that was most recently known as the Stone Church Pizza House and Brew Hub. The brew pub closed in 2018.

John Mitsos, the business' chief operating officer, said M and P Coney Island's main business model will revolve around the family's chili, along with other offerings including the "holy trinity" of hotdogs, hamburgers and french fries, all of which can be ordered with chili.

"It's all about the chili," Mitsos said. "For us it's not just a condiment, we use a meat sauce as a base instead of a bean base, and most people say it has a kick to it."

The business dates to 1923, when Greek immigrants John Mitsos and George Papazekos joined their initials and opened M and P Coney Island in New Castle.

The chief operating officer's grandfather, also named John Mitsos, was the original Mitsos' nephew and came to the United States later in the mid-1950s.

Mitsos' grandfather became a partner in the business, and he was a familiar face for customers at the location in downtown New Castle's Kennedy Square. He passed away in 2014.

"When my grandfather was still alive, he was a mainstay at the Kennedy Square spot," Mitsos said. "When the downtown was still busy, that place was the place to be."

After his grandfather's passing, Mitsos' father, aunt and uncle bought out the other business partners and took control of the business, which includes the "M and P Coney Island" in Neshannock Township, north of New Castle.

Mitsos himself joined the restaurant earlier this year after about a decade in the car dealership business, as the family looked to grow the M and P Coney Island franchise.

"It's different but it's also very similar, because you're still involved in management and you're ultimately working with people and building relationships," Mitsos said of the transition from car dealerships to food service.

The Kennedy Square location closed a couple years ago due to a lack of business, particularly foot traffic, combined with a lack of a drive-through and parking spaces.

Those issues will be solved with the Hermitage location, which is at a major intersection — South Hermitage and Morefield roads — and has its own parking. Hermitage zoning hearing board recently granted a variance to allow a drive-through as well, Mitsos said.

The Neshannock location, which will remain open after the Hermitage location opens, features not just a restaurant area but also a United States Department of Agriculture-approved kitchen that produces the family's chili for sale in about 100 supermarkets in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and New York.

Producing the chili in-house to be sold wholesale has allowed the family to expand its brand without necessarily having to open more locations over the years, since Mitsos said one of the biggest concerns in the past regarding potential expansion was protecting the family's chili.

"When we got USDA approval to make the chili, that solved the problem for us because we could produce the chili for stores and other restaurants while maintaining that quality control," Mitsos said.

Once the Hermitage location is ready, that chili production will be moved from Neshannock to the Hermitage site. Between the restaurant and the chili production, Mitsos said he expects the Hermitage location will employ just under 50 people.

Although plans are still underway, Mitsos said he expects M and P Coney Island will continue to expand beyond the Hermitage and Neshannock locations.

"We have a good brand awareness and following, so as we're growing, we're trying to do it very thoughtfully," Mitsos said.

Like David L. Dye on Facebook or email him at .

Like David L. Dye on Facebook or email him at ddye@sharonherald.com.