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THE BEACON RESTAURANT FAMILY STORY
This restaurant’s story is one of a family borne legacy that was started long ago by Tom Pappas, may he rest well in peace, and his longtime partner, John Kotsonis. Truly understanding these folks is knowing that they have prepared, for thousands and thousands of patrons both near and far, “many a plate” made with love, generosity, and most of all from the heart. As local customers we all have known Tom and John in one way or another and always appreciated their friendly service and can-do attitude. But here are a few things that you might not know about these grand men…
Most never knew of Tom and John’s selfless attitudes taking care of their customers behind the scenes. There were instances whereby they knew of many of their patrons maybe fell sick or could not get out to come to the restaurant, and so…they quietly prepared their favorite soup and sandwich and delivered it to them free of charge. The salutation before they left whomever was always “Hurry up and get well because everyone misses you down at the Beacon”. Their mission has always been one purely of customer accommodation and their motto has been, “if we have it…we’ll make it”. Some patrons, at times, maybe did not have the ability to pay for something, and their response was always “hey it’s okay this one is on us!”…and “come back to see us!”
So, after roughly 40 years of building this local iconic brand, the legacy still continues with John, his wife Toula, their boys Demo and George, and their great staff bringing the same heartfelt thanks and appreciation for everyone’s continued patronage over the years.
This year, with the onslaught of Covid-19 hitting some of the staff earlier this Spring, and with the recent kitchen fire that swept through the restaurant just a few weeks ago, the business and its employees have had to endure closures during some of the critical high-peak business months. So, in short, these months can never be replaced, which resulted in a direct loss to all that work and support their families out of this business…
We kindly ask anyone that feels inclined to help us support “Paying It Forward” to these kind folks so that we can bring back one of New Smyrna Beach’s faithful…The Beacon!
LOVE, LIFE, AND HAPPINESS TO YOU ALL !
This restaurant’s story is one of a family borne legacy that was started long ago by Tom Pappas, may he rest well in peace, and his longtime partner, John Kotsonis. Truly understanding these folks is knowing that they have prepared, for thousands and thousands of patrons both near and far, “many a plate” made with love, generosity, and most of all from the heart. As local customers we all have known Tom and John in one way or another and always appreciated their friendly service and can-do attitude. But here are a few things that you might not know about these grand men…
Most never knew of Tom and John’s selfless attitudes taking care of their customers behind the scenes. There were instances whereby they knew of many of their patrons maybe fell sick or could not get out to come to the restaurant, and so…they quietly prepared their favorite soup and sandwich and delivered it to them free of charge. The salutation before they left whomever was always “Hurry up and get well because everyone misses you down at the Beacon”. Their mission has always been one purely of customer accommodation and their motto has been, “if we have it…we’ll make it”. Some patrons, at times, maybe did not have the ability to pay for something, and their response was always “hey it’s okay this one is on us!”…and “come back to see us!”
So, after roughly 40 years of building this local iconic brand, the legacy still continues with John, his wife Toula, their boys Demo and George, and their great staff bringing the same heartfelt thanks and appreciation for everyone’s continued patronage over the years.
This year, with the onslaught of Covid-19 hitting some of the staff earlier this Spring, and with the recent kitchen fire that swept through the restaurant just a few weeks ago, the business and its employees have had to endure closures during some of the critical high-peak business months. So, in short, these months can never be replaced, which resulted in a direct loss to all that work and support their families out of this business…
We kindly ask anyone that feels inclined to help us support “Paying It Forward” to these kind folks so that we can bring back one of New Smyrna Beach’s faithful…The Beacon!
LOVE, LIFE, AND HAPPINESS TO YOU ALL !
Organizer and beneficiary
John Kotsonis
Beneficiary