When Greek immigrant Theodore Spiro Liaros came to America in 1913, his pockets were empty and he didn't know a word of English. Though he had energy and optimism to spare, there was little reason to suspect that he would one day establish a famous Western New York tradition. Ted, as he came to be known, invested years of hard work in a variety of business ventures. One of these endeavors was a horse drawn hot dog cart that he operated in a park on Buffalo's West Side in close proximity to the construction site of the new Peace Bridge. The sister of the construction site's foreman was using a tiny nearby tool shed to sell sandwiches to the workers and passersby. When the bridge was finished in 1927, she offered to sell the shack to Ted, who had been patrolling the area with his hot dog cart. more »