3. Nathan’s Famous Wasn’t the First

Feltmans-Coney_Island-Untapped_CitiesFeltman’s restaurant in Coney Island. Image from Boston Public Library via Digital Commonwealth

Before Nathan Handwerker became one of the most recognizable men in Brooklyn, he worked as a humble employee of an immigrant-owned German sausage haus, Feltman’s. When Handwerker left Feltman’s to open his own hot dog eatery, he undercut his former employer’s pricing by 50%. Instead of selling his hot dogs at 10 cents each, the Feltman’s price, Nathan’s would sell them at just 5 cents, leading to the boom that launched Handwerker’s business.