A Last Look At James Coney Island

It was a good run, really. James Coney Island became a Houston institution after humble beginnings as a hot dog stand in 1923 in the city's downtown. "It wasn't until forty years later that a second location opened and by 1988, it was a multi-million dollar brand," Lorretta Ruggiero reported for Houston Press in October 2022. 

But the little local hot dog empire closed its last outpost during the first weekend of last October, and now the empty building near the Galleria awaits the proverbial wrecking ball.

James Coney Island, 5745 Westheimer Road
(more photos below)

The company renamed itself JCI Grill in 2014, Ruggiero wrote. The closing of their hot dog palaces, however, is by no means the end of the company. They have big plans to revamp and rebuild. 

In a press release, Darrin Straughan, JCI President of 29 years, said, "Future builds and locations will be smaller in footprint with interiors closer to 2,000 square feet. The company will shift operational focus to a technological and consumer-facing enhancement of the drive-thru, curbside pick-up and off-premises experience." (If anybody can translate that, please do in a comment.)

I've eaten at James Coney Island a couple of times and to be honest, I wasn't impressed. But then, I grew up with Chicago-style hot dogs – something JCI attempted but never got right (in my opinion). Let's wait and see what their future attempts yield. 

On January 26, 2023 I stopped by the James Coney Island location at 5745 Westheimer Road, on the periphery of Houston's Galleria neighborhood, for one last glimpse. To many Houstonians, it's an iconic building. After the building is razed and the rubble hauled away, a new structure there will house Artisans, a French-themed restaurant. From hot dogs to haute cuisine (and by the way, haute is pronounced "oat").