Coney Joe's Celebrates 40th Anniversary

On May 10, 1972, Coney Joe's opened its doors for the first time.

To celebrate its 40th Anniversary, Coney Joe's Owner Kim Bredow will have a dine-in special, selling coneys for $1.72. There will also be souvenier refrigerator magnets and desserts such as éclairs in the shape of little hotdogs, Bredow said.

Also, customers who wear Coney Joe's shirts will receive 20 percent off their purchases Thursday through Saturday.

Bredow said that her father started Coney Joe's 40 years ago, while working with her uncle in his cleaning business.

"He grew up on Coney Dogs from the city (Detroit) and saw a sign one day for coneys in front of a little place by  (Bakery) - I think it was called Jeffrey's," she said. "He stopped and got three of them and they had mustard, ketchup and relish on them. He threw them in the garbage and drove all the way down to Detroit and got coneys."

That was the moment Joe Axtin decided Brighton needed a true place to get coneys. Bredow said he saw a sign to rent a small building on the corner of Main Street and Grand River.

"It took him over a year to get equipment and recipes down," Bredow said. "Then we opened, selling hotdogs for 50 cents and pop for a quarter."

The rest is history. Coney Joe's has become a fixture in the community. Brighton Patch readers voted it Best Lunch Spot in Brighton.

"We've tried to maintain the same quality," Bredow said. "And we're family-owned. People like to come back to places where they know the people. It's just a good meeting place."