In a town where hot dog shops are a beloved staple — as much of an Erie thing as corner bars and pepperoni balls — Red Hot Restaurant was part of the old guard.
For 50 years, owners George and Helen Katsadas, who came to the United States from Greece in 1974, served up Greek dogs and burgers, gyros and wings at their Parade Street restaurant.
George Katsadas, who died in 2022 at the age of 88, was known for greeting customers with the words, “Hello, friend.”
He was less friendly, according to police, when a would-be robber demanded the contents of the cash register in January of 2008. Katsadas pulled out a shotgun. The customer left with neither cash nor the Greek fries he had ordered.
The gun was a bluff, his daughter Nia Katsadas said.
“There were never any bullets in it,” she said.
His wife, Helen, was always a presence somewhere in the restaurant.
“They were like the right and left hand of each other,” Nia Katsadas said. “They could read each other’s minds.”
Helen Katsadas was working Saturday when the last order was served.