Легендарный ресторан Kozy Korner и наследие Дино Томпсона: как семья изменила гастрономию Миртл-Бич

From Kozy Korner to Flamingo Grill: How Dino Thompson’s family shaped Myrtle Beach dining MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — The city has changed dramatically over the decades, growing from a small, seasonal beach town into a bustling destination filled with restaurants, hotels and attractions. But Dino Thompson remembers when the Grand Strand looked very different. Thompson grew up in the restaurant business after his Greek immigrant parents unexpectedly decided to make Myrtle Beach their home. What started with an unplanned lunch stop in 1946 became a lifelong connection to the city and its restaurant industry. Through Thompson's memories, the story of Myrtle Beach's culinary evolution is also the story of his family's legacy — one that has been part of the city's history for generations. An unexpected stop changes everything Today, restaurants stretch for miles along the Grand Strand. But when Thompson was growing up, Myrtle Beach was a much smaller place, with a two-lane main road and mom-and-pop businesses at the center of downtown life. His parents came to the United States after World War II. His father worked at the shipyards in Newport News, Virginia, while also working at a restaurant. Then, a major round of layoffs changed the family's plans. "When he got out of the Army, they moved to Newport News. And he was working at the shipyards during the day and a restaurant at night. And then they laid off about 10,000 people at the shipyards." Thompson was still a baby when his parents passed through Myrtle Beach on their way to Florida to start a new life. They stopped for lunch at a small diner called the Kozy Korner. That lunch changed everything. "They stopped at the Cozy Corner restaurant, where the Superblock is, for lunch and a diaper change. And within two hours, my dad had bought the lease on the restaurant." Thompson said his parents had told the restaurant owner about their dream of someday owning a diner. The owner told them the Kozy Korner was available. By the end of the day, Thompson's father was introducing himself to the staff as the new owner. The family moved into an apartment upstairs, and Myrtle Beach became home. "Made a handshake deal, and here we are. And I lived there until I was 14." Thompson said the deal was made in 1946. "You didn't need lawyers back then. You just passed some cash and a handshake." Growing up in old Myrtle Beach From the second-floor window above the restaurant, Thompson watched Myrtle Beach grow around him. He remembers the Pavilion, the Broadway Theater and the beach just a few blocks away. He also remembers a downtown filled with businesses and characters that helped define the city. There was no air conditioning, Thompson said. Families left their windows open to catch the breeze. Later, the sounds and smells of the amusement park became part of his childhood. "You fell asleep to the roller coaster and the squeals from the kids in the bumper cars. You could smell the electric from the bumper cars and cotton candy and hot dogs." For Thompson, it was an idyllic childhood. "It was paradise for a young child." But it was also a childhood shaped by hard work. Thompson grew up working in his family's restaurants and saw his parents' work ethic firsthand. “You opened at 6, you closed at 12. Three meals, every day, 365 days. That’s what mom and dad did.” His father would eventually lease and operate nine different restaurants along the Grand Strand. By the time Thompson was 10, he said he was already helping manage the Kozy Korner while his parents were running another restaurant in which they had invested. He learned every part of the business. “I knew how to seat you. I knew how to bus tables. I knew the kitchen. We had great cooks in the kitchen.” READ NEXT: How Dolly Parton's dinner theater shaped Myrtle Beach into entertainment destination A restaurant that welcomed everyone Some of Thompson’s most vivid memories come from the Kozy Korner’s busiest days, when buses filled with Marines would stop in downtown Myrtle Beach. In 1951, a representative for the Marine Corps commandant came through the area looking for a restaurant where graduates from Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island could stop between Parris Island and Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. The Kozy Korner became that halfway point. But the restaurant’s history also reflects a larger story about Myrtle Beach during the segregation era. Thompson remembers his parents serving customers regardless of race. Their restaurant was listed in the Green Book, the travel guide published from 1936 to 1967 that identified businesses and establishments where Black travelers could safely receive service. “So we served Marines, Black Marines, and we served Blacks 15 years before the sit-in at Woolworth’s counter.” Thompson said his parents were not trying to make history. They were trying to make a living. His father, he said, believed in treating everyone fairly. When Thompson later asked his father whether he understood the significance of what he was doing, his answer was simple. “I’m not going to turn anybody away.” Building a restaurant legacy Decades later, Thompson continued the family tradition. While attending college in 1966, he opened Dino's House Pancakes after seeing an IHOP and realizing Myrtle Beach did not have a similar pancake house. He asked his father for help. In 1976, Thompson opened Cagney's. Nine years later, he and a business partner opened Flamingo Grill on North Kings Highway. The restaurants became known for steaks, seafood and, perhaps most importantly, hospitality. Thompson said his father taught him early that serving others was a noble profession. "Being of service to others and pleasing them is a noble way to live. I never forgot that, so I've been doing that all my life." That philosophy shaped Thompson's approach to the restaurant business: Treat people with respect, make service an honorable profession and build relationships that last. And he said one lesson stands above the rest. "If there's only one secret that I ever discovered, it was to hire a happy person. Everybody else can be toxic." Preserving Myrtle Beach history Today, Thompson is also preserving his memories of Myrtle Beach through books and storytelling. His stories capture a city that no longer exists in quite the same way — a smaller Myrtle Beach, a more intimate downtown and a restaurant industry that helped shape the Grand Strand. While many businesses from that era are gone, some longtime mom-and-pop restaurants remain. Thompson points to Chesapeake House, which has been serving customers since 1971, as one example. For Thompson, the story is about more than restaurants. It is about his family, his friends and his hometown. And it all began with an unexpected lunch stop that convinced his parents to stay. For Thompson, there is still nothing quite like seeing customers leave a restaurant happy. "There's no greater pleasure than me than walking around the restaurant, seeing people smiling, me checking on them and telling me, the server was wonderful, the food was good, the vibe was great, you know, and they leave happy." Thompson continues to share those memories with visitors and locals, giving new generations a firsthand look at the Myrtle Beach he knew as a boy. Dino Thompson's Myrtle Beach legacy Thompson has written several books documenting his memories of Myrtle Beach and the restaurant industry. While Flamingo Grill has transitioned to new ownership, Thompson remains closely connected to the restaurant and continues to share his stories with guests, staff and the community. For a city that has changed so much, his memories offer a unique look at the people and places that helped make Myrtle Beach what it is today.