Hattiesburg’s Coney Island Cafe serves its last meals

Hattiesburg, Miss. (Wdam) – CONEY ISLAND CAFE NOUSE HATTIESBUR for generations.

Friday, the restaurant served its last meals after 102 years of business.

“It will be a benchmark and I hope they will leave it as a benchmark,” said Irma Thompson, Hattiesburg.

For many customers of the last day, the restaurant only brought back good memories.

“I was doing my bicycle here and it was a treat to come here and eat,” said Fred Langston, Hattiesburg, “when I worked, I sneaned sometimes and I would have lunch.”

Memories were transmitted by generations.

“My father came here when he was a child,” said Steven Gibson, from Hattiesburg, “he told me about coming here, eating a hamburger for 35 cents.”

Memories, when linked to relatives in particular, have given the main street a special place in the heart of Hattiesburgers.

“My father brought me here in the 1940s,” said Thompson, “and Junior and his brother, they were here. It was always a good place to come and eat because you felt like you were welcome.

Some Friday customers were once part of the Coney Island family themselves.

“I used to work here,” said Roxanne Turan, Hattiesburg, “I was brought here when I

was a child. Just so many memories. This place was not only a business, but it was a place where you could be helped. »»

Between Chews and the final audits, many agreed that the fence was a tragedy.

“It’s a little sad, a kind of end of the time,” said Jim Waters, Hattiesburg. “We hope someone will enter and reopen it.”

Despite the sad end, customers in all life said Coney Island Cafe had remained faithful until the end.

“I’m going to miss them,” said Turan, “we love you guys. Continue to continue.”

The restaurant / chef / author of Hattiesburg, Robert St. John, is a longtime friend of the owners. He told Roy Howard Journalism Center, the key more than a century of success for Coney Island Cafe was to keep him in the family.

“The reason they have succeeded for so long was that they directed a tight ship,” said St. John, “it was a family operation. The work was weak because the family worked. Billy and his mother and his father worked for years until they died and Billy stayed. At the moment, there is more competition in the city center.”

CONEY ISLAND CAFE was opened in 1923 by Arthur Fokakis.

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