Born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, Pappas relocated with his family to Dongan Hills in 1974. One of the reasons for the move was the family wanted to be closer to the classic railroad-car eatery that has since become part of American diner legend.
The dining spot was purchased by Maria and Paris Pappas and Angelo Sbiliris in 1970.
Twelve years later, in 1982, the year Paris passed, Maria and her son, Steve, with the help of Steve’s brother, Andrew, continued to run the establishment for several more decades.
Throughout the years, Steve greeted patrons with a warm and welcoming smile and a reassuring comment — as though they were members of his own family, said Andrew.
THE DINER WITH AN INCREDIBLE HISTORY
The Victory Diner was first located at Victory Boulevard and Manor Road in Castleton Corners in 1932. It wasn’t until years later that it was moved to Dongan Hills.
In 1961, the Victory Diner served as the temporary office of the Staten Island Savings Bank when it was located in Castleton Corners.
That location was a transfer point for bus routes on Victory Boulevard, as well as Manor Road.
The eatery was comprised of eight booths, three tables, nine stools at a counter, and there were red neon letters outside, atop the blue and silver exterior.
It was a safe haven and a homey niche for regulars and first-time visitors who hailed from all walks of life.
The diner was moved to 1781 Richmond Rd. in 1964 and its long history included a number of brushes with fame.
The diner, which has become a symbol of the Island’s past, has been used as the location site for many movies, commercials and TV productions, such as the Richard Dreyfus TV show, “The Education of Max Bickford” and Rodney Dangerfield’s “Easy Money.”
What’s more, there must be something about good food that evokes thoughts of love. Just ask the scores of couples whose courtships took off at the legendary Victory Diner. In November 1999, the diner even served as the setting for the wedding of Susan and Al Pugliese.
Maria and Steve worked the diner until it closed in 2007, with Steve’s brother, Andrew, now a successful New Dorp attorney, always lending a hand. It wasn’t uncommon to see Andrew, on a slow night, sitting in the back booth with his head buried in law books.
THE VICTORY DINER CLOSES
When Maria Pappas retired in 2007, the diner was slated to be demolished and the property sold to a developer. Through joint efforts — then led by then-Borough President James Molinaro and the Advance — the Victory Diner was saved from demolition.
Using jacks and an oversized flat-bed truck, the diner was moved slowly to Capodanno Boulevard in Midland Beach. Plans called for the diner to be refurbished and become an attraction on the Island beachfront as part of the planned Splash Plaza at the foot of the South Beach Boardwalk and the Midland Beach promenade.
Groundbreaking for the project took place in May 2012, but months later, in October 2012, the diner was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy. Though not destroyed during the storm, it was damaged beyond repair, so much so that it had to be dismantled.
Advance Executive Editor, Brian J. Laline, once described the diner as a spot that saw throngs of people come through its doors on a daily basis.
"Everyday people. People in trouble. Recovering alcoholics. Sad people, people alone in the middle of the night. Families for breakfast after Sunday Mass. Celebrities filming movies and TV shows. The couple who decided to get married and have their wedding reception in the diner.”
COMMENTS FROM STEVE’S BELOVED FAMILY AND FRIENDS
“My brother Steve was big hearted kid – in a lot of ways," Andrew said. "He was a very giving person and believed in giving to all those in need. Steve was the fun loving uncle who took his 10-year-old nephew Nicholas to see ‘Reservoir Dogs’ and then at the age of 18 got him his first tattoo. And Steve always looked forward to spending time and cracking jokes with his niece Marina.”
Steve’s cousin Theodora Clear: “I’m going to truly miss my cousin Steve. He was more than a cousin; he was like a brother to me and my sister and my brother. I’m going to miss you ‘cuz,’ she said. “He always asked me to let him know if anyone was bothering us. I’m going to miss him calling me. We spoke often and he would always say ‘Love you cuz.’ And when he was in Brooklyn, even if it was for only for five minutes, he would always stop by. And sadly, I’m not going to have that anymore. He was so kind to everyone.”
“Seems a lifetime ago when I first met Steve Pappas," Laline, the Advance editor, said. “After a long day -- and night -- at work, I walked into the Victory around midnight for a burger, fries and the best coleslaw on Staten Island. You could see into the kitchen and the big guy in a stained white tee shirt, burger flipper in hand, at the grill,” he recalled.
"When I reached for my cash to pay the tab, my pockets were empty. I left my money in the office. I told the waitress, who told the big guy at the grill. He lumbered to the counter and I explained my situation. ‘Here, hold my driver’s license,’ I begged him. ‘I’ll be back in 20 minutes with the cash.’ The big guy was Steve Pappas.
" ‘Don’t worry about it,’ Steve told me – a guy he never spoke with before. ‘I trust you.’ And that was the beginning of a long friendship with Steve, his mom Maria and brother Andrew. You cannot speak of Steve without speaking of the entire Pappas family. Generous, kind, dedicated to their customers . . . and what a cook Steve was," Laline remembered. "My longtime pal and co-worker, Steve Zaffarano, and I would sometimes sneak a few hours off for a trip to the diner when Steve would make us clams, mussels and pasta in some kind of beer sauce. He was Staten Island’s original version of Guy Fieri and ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.’
"Sadly, another good soul who made Staten Island so special has left us,” Laline said.
Said next door neighbor Larry Giudice: “We were next door neighbors for many years in Dongan Hills Colony and Steve was such a good person and kind-hearted soul who would do anything for anyone in need. We all grew up together and we had a great time and wonderful memories. He will be missed by all of us.”
Artist Scott LoBaido, another childhood friend, said: “We did everything together in the streets, riding bikes in the woods in Dongan Hills. We even went to California together and lived there for a year. We met when the Pappas family moved in across the street from our house and we’ve been friends ever since. I’m always on the go, my mind is uncontrollably occupied with making things and I don’t reflect on my childhood as much as I should. Unfortunately, it took the passing of my best friend of 46 years to allow me to reflect and remember how totally awesome our young lives were. If you have ever seen the movie ‘Stand By Me,” that’s how cool it was. That’s how cool he was. If you had the pleasure of meeting him, the sun would be on your shoulders the rest of the day."
Longtime friend Steven LoBaido noted: “We lived for a time in my grandmother’s house for four years right across the street from Steve in the middle 1970s. My brothers and I were so excited that boys moved in across the street and we played with them in the back and we were friends all of these years. We had a great childhood playing in the woods. They came from Brooklyn and their neighborhood must have been very different. I am so sorry about Steve’s passing.”
In praising Steve’s talents, Pamela Silvestri, Advance food editor, said “Steve was enormously respected as a dedicated small business owner and family man. But above all, he offered good table-side conversation and a mean Greek omelet.”
Besides being lauded for his cooking prowess, Steve also was known to enjoy playing a good game of chess, for watching great movies, reading, and walking along the South Beach Boardwalk, one of his favorite pastimes. He especially looked forward to family gatherings, and spending quality time with friends.
Steve was predeceased by his father, Paris, in 1982 and his mother, Maria, in 2017.
He is survived by his brothers, Nick (Robyn), Andrew (Kathy), nephew Nicholas (Theresa) and niece Marina, his great niece, Lola, aunt and uncle Augusta and Gus Theodorou, cousins Maria (Panikos) Antoniou and Theodora (Thomas) Clear and a number of other cousins and friends.
A gathering of friends and family took place Wednesday evening at the corner of Ridge and Wooddale avenues, where Steve spent many happy moments as a child and later as an adult. No public services will be held at this time because of the pandemic. A memorial service will be announced at a later date.
Twenty-Third Psalm
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;
He leadeth me beside the still waters. He
restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the
paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of
the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for
Thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they
comfort me. Thou preparest a table before
me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou
anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth
over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow
me all the days of my life: and I shall dwell
in the house of the Lord forever.
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