Pizza trumps Coneys

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Mo (short for Mohammed) Kasham opened Big Moe’s Coney Island Restaurant on Washtenaw a few years ago. His younger brother Mo (short for Mohanned) managed the Cottage Inn take-out and delivery store at the other end of the same strip mall, Pittsfield Crossing. It’s not as big a coincidence as it seems, since Pittsfield Crossing is owned by the Kasham family.

Then last spring, Mo the Elder opened Greeko’s Coney-Grill in Pittsfield Plaza, another Kasham family property at Washtenaw and Pittsfield.

Both Greeko’s and Big Moe’s closed a few months ago. As Mo the Younger explains it, “We first opened up Moe’s two years ago and it was beautiful. Then six other Coney Islands opened within a half mile.” He ticks them off: “King of Queens, IHOP, Leo’s, Luca’s, Greeko’s, Golden Egg. We just got saturated.”

He explained this from his new workplace, the Cottage Inn Buffet, in the space that was formerly Big Moe’s. “Cottage Inn corporate wanted to take this space over and make it a buffet, so it wasn’t really a total loss,” he says. “As you can see, we’re still using the same dining room. With the economy the way it is, and everyone pinching pennies, it works out nicely. For $6.99, it’s all you can eat: salad, pizza, and drinks.” (You can still order pizza and sandwiches for takeout and delivery too.)