Todoroff's—Michigan's First Coney Island (1914)—Is Closed

Coney Islands are fixtures of the Michigan landscape. These Greek-owned hot dog stands began appearing in the early twentieth century and are now ubiquitous in and around the Motor City. Probably the most famous are American and Lafayette, in downtown Detroit since about 1917. Where and when the first Coney Island opened is not entirely clear but one of the early ones was Todoroff's in Jackson MI which claims a 1914 establishment. I'd been looking forward to visiting Todoroff's for years and was shocked to find it closed.





According to some news reports, the business has been gone for about a year. Looking inside, it appears that it could reopen tomorrow. Who knows? Maybe it will.

Todoroff's Coney Island (closed)
1200 W Parnall Rd
Jackson MI
http://www.todoroffs.com/Home/index.htm

There might be nothing sadder than seeing Rene G, investigator of Southside culinary oddities, shed a tear over another historic restaurant closing.

Nothing.

Who's in?

"State of the Art and Modern Design. Office, retail, service, recreation possibilities. Free standing corner lot in shopping center with McDonald's, Subway, Dollar General, major grocery and more. Abundant parking. High traffic area within minutes of interstate and US 127. Built as a quick service restaurant. Restaurant equipment negotiable."

http://www.surovell.com/p/106/20005188

Yet the circle remains unbroken, as we in Québec and The North Country know so very well: The Michigan.

Sorry Rene G!

Geo

I'm glad you mentioned that, Geo, since I'm in Quebec next week and I will seek out a Quebec Michigan just for the experience.

I came across this original thread last week when I was doing some coney research before a trip to Cincinnati. I ended up having just a single dog on my visit, which I sourced at the Skyline Chili stand at the Cincinnati Open. Maybe it wasn't the best test, but it certainly didn't confirm the claim I've heard that Skyline's offerings are better local than than they are at Skyline outlets in, say, Cleveland. Not that great.

But I grew up eating coneys in Toledo, which, as Rene pointed out earlier, set a high standard ...

Stopped thru Jackson en route to Detroit and this time I was able to remember Todoroff's has closed. I stopped last June expecting to try the place only to see it closed totally forgetting about this post which I'm sure I had read. However I do believe Michigan's first Coney Island restaurant is still open and this time I stopped thru there. According to a few stories on the internet including one on Todoroff's website, George Todoroff founded the Jackson Coney Island restaurant on east Michigan avenue in 1914. Todoroff's was later started by his great grandson who's dad and grandpa also owned Coney shops around town. With Jackson being the birthplace of the Coney, there are plans for a 100th anniversary Coney Dog celebration coming in 2014. Shout out to Rene G, maybe I'll see you there.


Downtown Jackson on east Michigan ave

I stopped in for a Coney intrigued to try the Jackson style which is a dry sauce. Inside it was your typical Coney Island hot dog shop with a counter and a few booths with some characters sitting at them. Hot dogs were cooking in the window which in this case was loaded with grease. Just one Coney with everything (mustard, onions) for me since this stop was just a pre-D snack. I'm unsure what the relation is now between the Jackson Coney Island and the Todoroff's but I would guess the recipe came with the purchase each time it's been sold.


Coney from Jackson Coney Island

Not bad, not great. Pretty much the same taste result of every old Midwest Coney shop I've stopped in at yet I still love them all. I did however determine that I much prefer the Jackson/Flint dry style of sauce to that of Detroit and their wet style. Just like a few other places out there, there's another dueling Coney shop in town. Not directly next door like they are in Detroit, the Virginia Coney Island is just down the block from the Jackson. There used to be a third on the block called the New York Lunch.


Also on east Michigan ave

I don't have much info on the Virginia except that they wanted to make sure people know that there was not a man banned from there like was first being reported this past June. I assume they came onto the scene to challenge the Jackson at some point after that opened. It's certainly been around and they had a few regulars in there making double digit orders of Coney's for their tables.


As always, the Coney's on display in front

The sauce I thought was a little better on this one but the onions had a chemical like taste. It was pretty unpleasant but I guess they've always been like that. Maybe they come cut when delivered from the supplier and because of that have an off flavor to them. The biggest reason both of these places were ok was the wiener itself. Nothing special and most certainly not a Koegel's natural casing hot dog like those they use at Lafayette and American Coney in Detroit which are still the best on a Coney I've had.


Virgina Coney Island Hot Dog

Jackson Coney Island
615 East Michigan Avenue
Jackson, MI 49201
(517) 784-5622

Virginia Coney Island
649 East Michigan Avenue
Jackson, MI 49201
(517) 784-3256