Nathan's Famous hot dog entrepreneur Murray Handwerker loved Coney Island, dead at age 89

[The Straight Story]

Nathan's Famous hot dog entrepreneur Murray Handwerker loved Coney Island, dead at age 89

Murray Handwerker, the savvy hot dog seller who transformed Nathan's Famous from a Coney Island favorite into a major national chain, died in Florida Saturday. He was 89.

Handwerker, whose father Nathan opened his original Coney Island hot-dog stand in 1916, returned from World War II in the 1940s and helped his parents open locations in Times Square and Long Island.

He took over as chairman in the early 1970s, rapidly expanding Nathan's through dozens of franchise deals across the country after taking it public.

"He was a visionary entrepreneur," said his son Bill Handwerker. "He had such a passion for Nathan's and Coney Island and what they represented."

http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2011/05/15/2011-05-15_nathans_famous_hot_dog_entrepreneur_murray_handwerker_loved_coney_island_dead_at.html

My weiner is at half staff today

[sufrommich]

1. I love Nathan's hot dogs. RIP.

[eleny]

2. I loved going to Coney Island

Nathan's was a usual stop for hot dogs, frog's legs, fried shrimp in a cone and their tasty french fries cut thick.

Rest in peace, Murray and thanks.

[Tesha]

3. It's probably the boardwalk changes that "done him in".

I can't decide if I'm joking or not.

Tesha