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Co-owner Leslie DeGalan with her husband Brian
A "Chicago-style" Coney Dog
One Stop Coney Shop, Grand Rapids’ newest hot dog joint, opened yesterday at 154 E. Fulton, former home of the Flute Boutique.
Leslie DeGalan and her husband, Brian, moved to the NW side of Grand Rapids from Grosse Pointe in mid-September to open the restaurant.
“We’ve always liked this side of the state,” She said, “particularly the support Grand Rapids has for it’s downtown.”
The high volume of students in the area, many of whom likely enjoy a quality dog now and again, was also a contributing factor.
The “Coney Island” restaurant style and its titular chili dog both originated in Detroit in the early 20th century. Since that time, literally hundreds of similar restaurants have spread across Michigan. Yesterday's opening of One Stop Coney Shop makes the third Coney Island-style hot dog shop to open in the Grand Rapids area.
Many Detroit-style Coneys are famously Eastern European-inspired, featuring a diverse menu that includes a wide range of hot dogs, gyros, Greek salads and breakfast served 24 hours a day. While the Grand Coney at 809 Michigan St. NE is the only Grand Rapids Coney that keeps that ‘round-the-clock tradition alive, One Stop Coney Shop prefers to “keep things simple,” DeGalan said, focusing primarily on hot dogs.
“My husband loves hot dogs,” DeGalan continued, “We wanted to bring a grilled dog that has the snap.”
That snap comes from the natural casing of the Flint-based Koegel Meats' Vienna style hot dog, which is a leading supplier of Coney Island-style hot dogs.
Non wiener-related items include two types of pitas (one “cheesy” and one not), a Greek salad, and One Stop Coney Shops signature frites – twice-fried Belgian-style fries. Vegetarians, take note: There are limited options on One Stop’s menu. “Vegetarian” hot dogs at One Stop Coney Shop consist of your choice of condiments in a bun. DeGalan says that the restaurant “may consider adding special features as we get into it, but for now want to focus on making a good product for a reasonable price.” The average price per dog is around $2.
Relative to most companies of its kind, One Stop Coney Shop is uniquely committed to charity. The DeGalans will raise money for a new downtown-area charity on a quarterly basis. Costumers are invited to donate any amount to the charity of the moment and write their names on a pastel canvas panel that will eventually be permanently installed on the wall.
“I felt like it was a good thing to provide a place for people to give back,” DeGalan said. “It will mostly be family-oriented charities. Being a mother, family has always been a focus.”
Her husband and daughters also work at the shop. The first charity selected is Kids Food Basket, a local food-assistance organization that helps ensure that under-served children are able to receive at least one quality meal a day. The DeGalans will be selecting additional charities as they become more familiar with the Grand Rapids community.
Currently, One Stop Coney Shop is cash only but is looking to add debit and credit service in the coming weeks. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00am to 9:00pm, and Sundays from 11 to 3:00pm. You can find One Stop Coney Shop online at its Web site, Facebook and Twitter.
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