Salty Rooster owner’s death: Jimmy Sagiotis’ mum keeps cult burger store open

On the day the owner of a cult burger store in Sydney died of a heart attack - just years after his wife’s tragic death - his mum was spotted doing the unthinkable.

Jimmy Sagiotis tragically died of a heart attack. His mother is keeping his legacy alive and continuing to run their Salty Rooster burger store. Picture: Supplied

The grieving mother of a Sydney businessman was spotted working at her late son’s burger store just hours after his tragic death.

Jimmy Sagiotis, the man behind Salty Rooster in Queenscliff on the northern beaches, passed away on October 5 after suffering multiple heart attacks.

In a cruel double blow, Sagiotis’ late-wife Renee passed away in eerily similar circumstances just six years earlier.

Speaking to news.com.au, a close friend of Mr Sagiotis revealed how the community legend’s mother Sophia was determined to keep her late son’s legacy alive.

“She was in the shop working the day he died. They still opened the shop, they were still there for the people,” friend Simon Polito said.

“He gave his heart to everybody.”

Salty Rooster burger store owner Jimmy Sagiotis (with fiancee Claudine) tragically died after suffering a sudden heart attack. Picture: Facebook

On the day of his death, Sagiotis’ mother Sophia (right) was spotted at the store working. Picture: Supplied

Simon Polito (right) spoke about his 20-year friendship with Mr Sagiotis (left). Picture: Supplied

Salty Rooster owner’s last texts

Mr Polito said the burger shop owner had become as close as family to him throughout their 20 years of friendship.

The pair first met while Mr Polito was working at Ray White in Narrabeen, where Sagiotis had just opened his first Salty Rooster store with his mum.

“I would be there every day and I would start with my breakfast bacon and egg roll with him in the morning, and then go for lunch, and we’d end up at the end of the day sitting on milk crates out the front going on ‘What the f are we doing, how are we going to make it work?’”

Now, 20 years on, Mr Polito revealed the contents of his and Sagiotis’ last text messages together.

“I look back at all my text messages with him and every one of my last 25 to 30 text messages from him, literally he wrote to me saying ‘I love you brother, we’re brothers for life.’”

“I still don’t believe he’s gone,” he added, saying that he got all of his mentoring and advice from Sagiotis.

Growing up with two sisters, Polito said he’d never had a brother until he met Sagiotis, who was one of those people that “everybody just loved”.

“Everyone loved him, he never did wrong by anybody … you’re gonna make me emotional, but that was one thing I loved the most about him,” Mr Polito said.

Mr Sagiotis’ two children (pictured in a touching mural at the Queenscliff store) have now lost both their parents. Picture: Supplied

Beautiful meaning behind mural inside store

Mr Polito said that Sagiotis was an incredibly loving father, constantly giving his all for his kids.

His burger shop even boasts a mural of his two children, Harrison and Hudson, on the wall, while a big screen plays photos and memories all day (even before his passing).

“His boys were his world,” he said.

“He took them to whatever classes they wanted to do, anything and everything they needed and wanted he would sacrifice to give them, including his including his fiance’s kids.”

He and his fiance, Claudine, had just moved in together last year and were gearing up to get married next year.

Mr Polito remembers the first time Sagiotis had told him about his fiance, having called him up to express how happy he was that he’d found someone.

“He’s like, ‘She’s just amazing, she’s so loving … I just can’t wait to grow old with her and sit on the park bench at the beach and watch the waves and watch the world go by and just have a good life.”

Their romance came after Sagiotis lost his late wife, Renee, in 2017.

She had died from an asthma attack, which left Sagiotis in a dark place for a while, according to Polito.

Now, his children having tragically lost both parents, his fiance is looking after them as well as her two children, Eli and Amelie.

“My heart absolutely breaks for his sons,” Polito said.

Mr Polito said that he’d been in contact with them all, and was looking forward to spending more time with the kids over Christmas.

He added that as usual, Salty Rooster would be his first stop when he lands back in Australia, as he’s currently based in California.

Dozens of surfers gathered at Queenscliff beach to pay tribute to Mr Sagiotis last month. Picture: Supplied

The early days of Salty Rooster

When it came to his business, Mr Polito said that Sagiotis was always on the frontline, greeting each customer personally and welcoming them in.

He reminisced on the early days, saying that there was another — perhaps more popular — burger shop down the road in Narrabeen.

However, through supporting community events, soccer teams, and sponsoring agents like Mr Polito, Sagiotis made a break through.

Then, an opportunity came for him to expand his business to Manly, which he was reportedly nervous about at first.

Mr Polito jokingly referred to the Northern Beaches as the “insular peninsula”, saying it’s a very cliquey area.

He said that many had told Sagiotis he “wouldn’t make it” in the area, and that he’d “fail”.

However, Mr Polito said that he just kept going, and it’s now clear that the loving father left his mark on the community.

Mr Polito said that he collapsed in his office and fainted when he received the call about his dear friend’s death.

“I was in absolute shock. I rang his mum and his mum was crying to me.”

Still trying to come to terms with the loss, Mr Polito said that Sagiotis “gave a lot”.

“He gave his heart to everybody.”

He said that it “breaks his heart” that Sagiotis never got to meet his youngest child.

Suffering several losses recently, Mr Polito said that he’s come to realise that “life is so short and precious”.

“You still gotta work, but let’s be more conscious about every moment because you just don’t know if you’ll even have tomorrow. Tomorrow is not guaranteed,” he said.

Originally published as Salty Rooster owner’s death: Jimmy Sagiotis’ mum keeps cult burger store open