There is no way of estimating how many of New York’s sidewalk hot dog stands I have frequented in my career, but they are certainly a good deal. A hot dog on a fresh bun plus a soft drink for only two dollars in one of the World’s most expensive cities.
You have probably done the same. Now magine your surprise if you were driving west on Woolbright Road in Boynton Beach, Florida, and encountered an exact replica of a New York hot dog stand on the side of the road in the grass about a mile west of I95. Sure enough it’s an authentic stand with an authentic owner. He got tired of the hassle of New York, analyzed that many of his regular customers over the years had moved to Florida, and followed them down, bringing his stand with him.
He does a robust business now, not quite as robust as in Manhattan, but he claims his hot dogs stay hot longer. You will find them to be just as good as in Manhattan.
This was an unusual example of geographic expansion following the migration of your target audience. I wonder if it is an isolated event. Anyone know of anywhere else one can find a New York hot dog stand outside of New York?
I have had the pleasure of meeting 2 especially unique and memorable “hot dog people.”
The first is (or, was) a guy who calls himself “The Hot Dog Guy.” His trailer was parked along the side of Hwy 7 or 9 just SW of Middle, VT. This highway runs north/south along the base of the Adirondacks in New York.
The “Hot Dog Guy” (that was his trade name) was a Manhattan lawyer who was tired of the rat race. One day, he’d had enough. He left to start the best hot dog stand he could do. The Hot Dog Man took great pride in that fact all his hot dogs and gyros were made from the freshest ingredients, straight from the docks of New York City. To me, this guy was a great example of someone who focused and set out to deliver the highest quality of products. We made many visits that Summer.
The other vendor extraordinaire is a recent discovery in Gadsden, Alabama. Her name is Debbie. Her game is Debbie’s Dogs. Debbie’s a regular fixture of downtown Gadsden.
Her hot dogs are differentiated. Difficult to describe, but they are unique and delicious. Her personality is even more bubbly than her refreshments, a compliment to Debbie, not an indictment of her drinks. Debbie is only hot dog vendor I’ve ever met who posts photograph-covered signs all around her stand of happy customers enjoying her delectable treats — another interesting branding technique.
However, the signs were not necessary. The always-present crowds say it all.
Frank:
Ask Josh about his infamous Hot Dog Man in upstate NY. Josh insisted on dragging me over the border from Vermont to New York to taste one of the world’s best chili dogs. It was amazing. I will never doubt Josh again regardless of how crazy his ideas may seem at first. There might even be a few photos of our excursion lying around in a shoe box. It was 1992 after all.
TGP