One of the reasons I asked to start this blog was to share some of the photos readers share with me, but which don't fit the then/now format of my Monday column. The images are great for jogging memories of old Spokane and the experiences folks had at businesses, theaters, cafes and shops. I am attaching the photos and recollections of Mark Silver, whose parents owned Stan's Coney Island, a cafe on the 400 block of W. Main Ave. in the 60s. Silver's grandparents were the Millman's, who ran the pawnshop that still exists today on that block. His parents, Stan and Ilene Silver, took over the cafe next door. 

Silver wrote:

 

"My Mom and Dad were 18 and 20 when they purchased the Coney Island.  Newly

married, they purchased it from an Italian gentleman by the name of Pete Mauro.

Neither Stan or Ilene knew a thing about the restaurant business but jumped

in and renamed it Stan's Coney Island.  Café was open 7 days a week.  My

mother had 4 children in 5 years and worked every pregnancy until

practically the day of births.  They turned this tiny Coney Island into a

very popular downtown café. They would make a daily 5 gallon batch of Coney

sauce to meet the popular demands. For those of you who don't know, a Coney

is a steamed hot dog and bun, a small squirt of mustard and then covered in

a beef beanless chili, then topped with chopped onion.  Some customers would

order a plate of 6 Coney's to start with.  They catered to many of the

downtown business clientele as well as the pimps and prostitutes that were

wellknown to hang out on the 400 block of West Main. As long as you were

respectful, you were welcome. Our family is Jewish and many of downtown's

business owners were Jewish.  They were the only restaurant in Spokane that

during the Jewish holiday of Passover served many of the homemade delicacies

such as fried Matzo for breakfast, Matzo ball chicken soup, chopped liver

and gefilte fish balls, all made by Ilene.  The lilac and torchlight parade

were huge days.  My Dad would hire the Glass Hospital to come down and

remove the front window so they could serve directly out the window.  Sales

guys from Liberty Furniture would come over on morning breaks, drink coffee,

eat donuts and roll dice.  Stan and Ilene routinely served the homeless or

indigents.  All four children were washing dishes and waiting tables by the

time they were 6.  It truly was a family operation.  In 1968 they sold out

due to health issues. The café remained Stan's until it eventually closed in

the late 1980's.  After they sold the diner, they purchased Millman's

Jewelry and EZ Loan from Ilene's father Henry Millman and operated until

Stan's death in 1981.    

Ilene still happily resides in Scottsdale, AZ and enjoys her retirement. 

 

Now, when Ilene and her 4 children's gather with their families, the most

requested meal still is Coney Islands.  She can still make that recipe in

her sleep."

 

All photos are courtesy of Mark Silver. Your comments are welcome.

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