Ken's Diner&grill

It was pre-Passover 1976 when Ken Hechtman first found himself coming to 3353 W. Dempster Street in Skokie, Illinois. This grocery, deli and sandwich store was the first of its type on the North Shore of Chicago. Ken did not have a fluent understanding of Kosher, but felt that it was by far an under developed industry for such a large Jewish market place. Kosher City remained the only store of its type on the North Shore until 1982 when two much larger deli and groceries opened within one mile of each other. At this point, Ken needed to change his way of thinking and bring something to the North Shore that others would not so quickly imitate. His idea was based on a little deli in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin called the Pop or Shop. As a child, Ken use to frequent this shop and sit for hours playing music on the jukebox and downing French fries and milk shakes. It was some of the best times Ken can remember about his childhood. At this time, Ken had this idea of giving the Jewish community something that they never had and might never have if he didnt become proactive and take a huge chance. When Ken approached the Chicago Rabbinical Council with his idea of a 50s diner and grill, they told him that they would approve such a venture. The CRC warned him that the Jewish community in Chicago probably wasnt ready to accept this kind of establishment. Nevertheless, Ken went ahead and began building what would become an icon for kosher restaurants all over the world. I think what our customers remember most about the Kens Diner era, was that it happened in bits and pieces. I had very little money back then and had to build the diner in sections. As shelving units from the grocery store came down, new red and white-checkered tiles went on the floor, landscaping the future of Kens Diner. As more money became available, four new tables were bought. Finally a new kitchen was built and the fifties music rang, while the first Burger Buddy made its magnificent debut. By this point,