The reign of Papaya King, the beloved hot dog and juice joint that opened on the Upper East Side in 1932, is expected to end soon, and fans are flocking to pay their respects.

The story began when a Greek immigrant named Gus Poulos quickly learned he couldn't hawk his love for tropical fruit juices to a neighborhood full of German Jews without some confusion. The beet- and cabbage-loving crowd needed to be lured in. When Hawaiian music and servers in grass skirts didn't do the trick, Poulos added snappy hot dogs — and the rest was history.

Now, as neighborhood institution faces demolition, connoisseurs of all ages are coming in to snatch up a sweet, sour treat that now might taste just a little bit bittersweet.