The coming of winter marks a new chapter for Coney Island, a community that has seemingly been reinventing itself since the peninsula’s founding in the 17th century. As part of New York City’s lease of the properties to Central Amusement International, six longtime boardwalk restaurants will close their businesses by November 4th. Central Amusement International, which also owns Luna Park is looking to replace the older storefronts with newer, similar amenities.
The six eateries in question are Rubys Bar & Grill, Paul’s Daugther, Cha Cha’s, Gyro Corner, Steve’s Grill House, and Beer Island. On Friday, October 14th, Gyro Corner took down its iconic bric-a-brac storefront sign to be moved to the restaurant’s second location nearby on West 12th and Bowery.
However, the fate of all the storefronts has not yet been sealed. The Wall Street Journal reported rumors of Rubys and Paul’s Daughter potentially remaining open for years to come, an occurrence WSJ describes as becoming “nearly annual.”
Retired Brooklyn tool-and-iron maker Elli Tavelinsky somberly watched as men took down the Gyro Corner sign Friday. Tavelinksky, who is 66 and now lives on Social Security spends much of his time promenading the boardwalk. “Now they want to change,” he reflects. “Change is not too easy.”