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Original Coney Island celebrates 100 years in downtown Scranton

Newswatch 16's Courtney Harrison spoke with the owner and customers about what keeps people coming back.

SCRANTON, Pa. — For 100 years, The Original Coney Island of Scranton has served thousands and thousands of Texas wieners and burgers to hungry customers. The business on Cedar Avenue has been a staple in the community, and owner Brendan Bell is excited to mark this milestone.

"It's been great to keep it the same as the original owner. I found a menu in the back when they first took it over. It was an old menu and then had the three things that the original owner sold, and I cut it right back to that."

The lunchtime rush also hasn't changed for the restaurant. Customers say the food speaks for itself, and that's what keeps them coming back.

"The chili here is really good, and it's really close, and everyone loves it at work, so that's why we come up here," Chris Tonte said.

Along with photos of the business and downtown Scranton through the years, pictures of longtime customers hang on the walls. Some have been coming almost as long as Coney Island has been in business.

"He started coming here when he was four years old, and he was here the other day. So he comes in, and this is why we put these pictures up for the customer. Thank the customer, for one, because there they are good customers," Bell said.

Bell has owned the restaurant for the past nine years. He says the pandemic was tough, but they were able to make it through. He says it's a testament to the people who have supported this business all these years.

"It's the same building, same restaurant down here, a little more expanded, gone through a few changes in the over the 100 years. But we're still here, and we're not going anywhere," Bell said.

Bell plans to have promotions throughout the year to celebrate the anniversary and thank all the loyal customers.

Posted by The Original Coney Island of Scranton on Thursday, January 5, 2023

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