DETROIT – Friends and family are gathering to honor a beloved Detroit restaurant owner.
For decades, Tony Kalaj owned the little tan-colored building called King Grill on Fort Street across from the post office.
Kalaj died suddenly on Thursday (Nov. 16), leaving his tight-knit group of employees and customers stunned.
Those who loved popping in there for breakfast or lunch and many of us at Local 4 know the place by its original name, Coney King.
It is old-school good coffee, a huge omelet with a home-cooked feel, and the feeling that everyone working there was part of a big family.
But on Friday, the Coney Island was quiet as it was closed as a handwritten note on the door that said the owner of Coney King passed away.
Kalaj’s son Romeo wrote:
“We will be closed due to Tony’s passing. We will be back in about two weeks. Please bear with us during these tough times and keep us in your prayers. I will continue to follow in my father’s legacy and keep giving to the people and city of Detroit.”