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Company History|
At the turn of the century Muskegon, Michigan was shifting economic gears from being the "Lumber Queen of the World" to becoming a growing regional industrial center. This industrial surge at the turn of the nineteenth century attracted large numbers of Southern Europeans to the Muskegon area with their hopes of making a better life for themselves and their families.
By the 1920s, Muskegon had a large and growing industrial work force which provided an exciting opportunity for gentlemen like George Baldas and Louie Coredas. These two Greek immigrants opened the G&L sandwich shop in downtown Muskegon on Western Ave. in 1926. 
With thousands of workers in the downtown Muskegon area the hot dog thrived in the many small Greek-run, quick service restaurants. These restaurants remained open 24 hours a day. Generations grew up eating "red hots" as hot dogs were called back then. Most of these establishments were all located within a few city blocks in the cities center on Western Avenue. There was the G&L, the Coney Island Restaurant, The Puritan, The Red Lion, The Beat 'Em All Bar, The Ritz Lunch, The Ideal among others.
It was out of this era in Muskegon that the legend of G&L was defined. With large factories all around downtown Muskegon G&L would serve hundreds of people a day. The G&L had to serve their hot dogs fast, hot and tasting great or the customers would simply walk a few steps down the block to yet another coney island restaurant. When factories would have shift changes G&L would have to serve several hundred patrons in just minuets. It was this high level of competition and constant demand for serving large amounts of food fast and hot that allowed G&L to perfect it's, now famous, business techniques. Ever-since then G&L has always been known for one thing - Greek Chili Dogs served fast and hot. The Great Depression of the 1930s undermined much of the economic development in Muskegon, but the economy rebounded during World War II in response to Muskegon's role as an "Arsenal of Democracy." The hot dog restaurants experienced a booming business in the Post-World War II years. In 1942, Gust "Charlie" Peliotes began working for G&L selling the famous chili dogs for just 5 cents each. Little did Charlie know that he would become the future owner of G&L 18 years later in 1960. Charlie's father worked at the Red Lion and the Puritan is where Charlie says he got his start at the age of 16. He worked there two years and then went next door to the G&L. In the 1950s and 1960s Muskegon witnessed a return to the economic doldrums. This marked the end for most of the coney island restaurants in the downtown Muskegon area. Factories cut back on production and laid-off employees in unprecedented numbers. Many area businesses closed their doors permanently. Charlie Peliotes purchased the G&L from George and Louie in 1960. After 18 years of working the G&L, Charlie understood the coney island business like few other ever could. Charlie and his wife Ethel relocated the G&L just a few doors down to 250 W. Western Ave. where they renovated the old clothing store in the Silverman Building. Charlie also added French fries to the G&L menu for the first time. Charlie was a bit of a maverick. He liked to do things his way. His Greek temperament and attitude, over the years, redefined the legend of G&L that very few patrons ever forgot. And loved. He didn't save small talk for the back room. If a waitress wasn't picking up an order fast enough he would yell at her from across the entire restaurant for all to see. If a customer had been sitting in a booth for a period of time that was longer than it would normally take to eat their meal Chuck would say something like, "Let go, I"ve got a business to run here and people are waiting in line. You"re taking up a booth." G&L's customers came to expect his attitude and looked forward to it when going to G&L and Chuck endeared them with his show.  The 1960s and 1970s, in Muskegon, were years of business consolidation when numerous locally owned banks and industrial establishments were sold to giant national and international corporations. The City of Muskegon began losing the last of it's large scale employers in the downtown area. As the jobs left so did the small stores that survived by servicing this dwindling labor force.
As the first half of 1970 came around there were only three of the original Greek coney island restaurants left in downtown Muskegon. The city of Muskegon was actively pursuing an aggressive urban renewal project that threatened the very existence of these culinary icons. The G&L, Coney Island and the Puritan were on the same block and all scheduled to be torn down for Muskegon's budding urban renewal project within the next year. The Coney Island closed at the end of May 1971 during it's 50th year of operations in the same location and The Puritan closed earlier in the month. As of June 1st, 1970 G&L was the last remaining Greek coney island restaurant in all of downtown Muskegon. It was Gust "Charlie" Peliotes that ultimately provided G&L with the strength and determination to survive the urban renewal efforts of the City of Muskegon. After being forced to relocate into a small modular building in a temporary location at 208B Clay in 1973, the future of G&L looked bleak. This temporary location was to be cleared and developed into a parking lot for the new Sears building being constructed as part of the new downtown mall. Most, if not all, of the available land in the immediate vicinity was being controlled by the city's Economic Development Corporation(EDC). With the EDC providing G&L with limited options to relocate permanently in the downtown area, Charlie Peliotes threatened to file a suit against the city. After many articles written in the Muskegon Chronicle covering the possible demise of "The Hot Dog King", as Charlie was fondly known as, and many contentious public city council meetings the city and Charlie finally agreed on a possible site located at 885 Jefferson St. Charlie's bid of $32,360 for the city owned property received preliminary approval on Dec. 23, 1975. 
Gus "Charlie" Peliotes not only survived being displaced by urban renewal and plagued by a faltering economy, but opened his new store at 885 Jefferson St. in 1976 stronger than ever. The new restaurant was big with a 100 plus seats. The main grill, with hundreds of hot dogs cooking away, was visible through the front window and it's modern design was one of a kind. Being the "Hot Dog King" had its perks and the line out the door to get in to G&L was the biggest. Chuck and Ethel operated the G&L for the next 10 years until their retirement in 1986.
Upon Charlie's retirement not only did the public let their gratitude and thanks be known but the State of Michigan issued a "Special Tribute" to praise and honor his remarkable career at G&L that spanned 44 years, the last 26 as owner. This "special Tribute" was signed by James Blanchard (Governor of the State of Michigan), Mickey Knight (State Representative -96th District), Edgar Geerlings (State Representative Ð97th District) and Phil Arthurhultz (State Senator -33rd District) Charlie sold the G&L and all of it's secrets to a local restaurateur Bill Dutmer on April 1, 1986. Bill didn't change a thing with the downtown location except add one additional cook to make up for the work Charlie did by himself. It didn't take long though for Bill to get other ideas about G&L and it's famous hot dog and chili sauce. On May 4th, 1987 G&L opened a store in the downtown Grand Haven area. Bill's brother, Steve Dutmer, was the manager and co-owner of the Grand Haven restaurant. This store would eventually relocate to Beacon Blvd.(US 31) in Grand Haven. In February of 1988 Bill Dutmers opened up an new location located at 771 W. Sherman Blvd. in Muskegon. This location offered the first G&L with a drive-thru window. By the early 1990's Bill Dutmer had successfully directed G&L into becoming a multi-unit operation, proven that G&L's Amazing Greek Chili Dogs had a broader consumer appeal than just in Muskegon and that drive-thru service not only worked at G&L but invigorated sales to levels not thought possible.  In 1995, the Johnson family bought G&L from Bill Dutmer. The Johnson family has lived in Muskegon, Michigan for five generations and have witnessed G&L's AMAZING Greek Chili Dog stand the test of time and become a culinary icon in western Michigan. The oldest son Charles Johnson took over the day-to-day operations of the company and immediately began focusing on plans for a new store location in the Muskegon area. In early July, 1996 G&L opened it's third store in Muskegon, Michigan on Apple Ave. In 2000, Charles was joined by the younger son Peter Johnson. Peter assisted in managing the three operations in Muskegon while focusing further on G&L's growth opportunities. In July, 2001 G&L opened it's fourth store in Muskegon on Sternberg Road. This store incorporate several enhancements in design and operating procedures and would become G&L's prototype for future stores. G&L's Sternberg location soon became the most profitable store within the company.
Peter and Charles Johnson soon turned their attention to their next goal for the company -franchising. For most of 2003 and 2004 they spent their time planning G&L's franchise program. In early 2004, G&L Franchise Company was created to manage and support their franchise program. As of August 4th, 2004 G&L officially launched their franchise program and began promoting it limitedly in their existing stores. Planning on a slow growth schedule for the first year or two G&L Franchise Company carefully reaffirmed store designs and procedures and demands for franchise training and staff support. On March 31st, 2005 G&L officially sign up it's first franchisee for Allendale, Michigan opened for business on October 10th, 2005. As G&L moves into 2006 with plans for a new corporate store in Holland, Michigan and new franchise inquiries coming in regularly it seems growth is inevitable. Through it all, The AMAZING Greek Chili Dogs are still prepared fast and hot, covered in mustard, onions and the special chili sauce made from the same secret recipe George and Louie first created nearly 80 years ago. |
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