Obituary:
Gus Konstin, former owner of S.F. landmark John’s Grill, dies at 87
Gus Konstin, a San Francisco restaurateur who owned historic John’s Grill for many years, died Monday at UCSF Medical Center after a long illness. He was 87.
Konstin was an American success story. He arrived from his native Greece in 1951 with $20, a limited command of English and a determination to succeed. Over the years he became wealthy through hard work and shrewd investing. He enjoyed telling his own story — how he started as a busboy and earned enough money from his salary and tips to buy his own restaurant.
He was born Constantine Konstantinidis in the village of Matsouki. As a young man he was involved in the resistance to the German occupation of Greece and the civil war that followed.
When he left, he landed first in New York and then traveled to San Francisco, changed his name to Gus Konstin and got a job as a busboy clearing tables at Jack’s, an old-time establishment favored by the city’s rich and powerful.
One of his early assignments was to work at a 10-seat table where Louis Lurie, a top financier, hosted his friends for lunch every day. The diners included political figures, bankers, judges, lawyers and visiting celebrities like Alfred Hitchcock, Ingrid Bergman and Ronald Reagan.
It was a lucky break: The diners took a liking to Konstin and he was promoted to waiter and then maitre d’. Lurie and his friends gave him tips on saving his money and investing — particularly in buying distressed real estate, fixing it up and selling it at a profit.
About that time he met Sydna Pantoja, a native of Mexico, at English classes at Galileo High School. They were married in 1955. She advised him to save his tips and helped him find property. Their first investment was a run-down Victorian in Noe Valley.
The Konstins bought John’s Grill on Ellis Street in 1969. Gus was the host, and Sydna the manager. The place had a long history. One of the regulars in the 1920s was a Pinkerton detective and fledgling writer named Dashiell Hammett. He mentioned John’s in his classic novel “The Maltese Falcon.’’
Aided by a group of Hammett fans, the Konstins hit on the idea of turning John’s into a shrine to the writer and Sam Spade, his most famous creation. Business boomed, and John’s was named as a national literary landmark.
Gus Konstin turned the business over to his son, John Konstin, in 1990.
Gus Konstin was generous with his money. He usually carried a wad of cash and could be a soft touch to anyone who asked. He supported favorite charities, including the San Francisco Firefighters Toy Program and City College’s culinary and hospitality school. A room at the school was named for him.
“Anything is possible in this country,’’ he said at the dedication.
He is survived by his sons, John of San Francisco and Lionel of Portland, Ore.; two daughters, Christina and Annie, both of San Francisco; two brothers, Nick and Tasso Konstantinidis of Athens; and six grandchildren. His wife, Sydna, died in 2009.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 7, at St. Cecilia Church, 2555 17th Ave., San Francisco.