Hot dogs are a hot business

 

An employee at Sam's Hot Dog Stand at 929 Fourth Avenue prepares hot dogs during a lunch rush. Photo by Tracy Cook

There has been a certain type that has made its mark. Those who sell hot dogs seem to be successful and have found their place in Huntington.

Stewart's Original Hot Dogs, Sam's Hot Dog Stand and Farley's Famous Hot Dog's are three establishments specializing in hot dogs and chili sauce.

Stewart's Original Hot Dogs was founded in 1932 and is the oldest restaurant in the Tri-State. The proprietors were John Louis Mandt, his wife Gertrude, their son Harry and his wife Isabelle. The original drive-in was located at Fifth Avenue in Huntington and only sold root beer and popcorn. Total sales for the first day of business were 50 cents.

Hot dogs and chili were added to the menu during the second year to increase sales. Gertrude made the sauce and it became a huge success.

Today, there are five locations in the Tri-state. The same secret sauce recipe cooked in the 1930s is still made by hand. Barbecues, french fries and Lite'N Lean items have been added to the menu, but the hot dogs remain the company's specialty.

Stewart's is now run by the third and fourth generations of the original family.

John Mandt Jr., vice president of operations at Stewart's, said he began working there when he was 13 years old.

Stewart's hot dogs are the only wieners sold at Marshall sporting events and have been voted "Best in the Tri-state" every year since 1995.

Sam's Hot Dog Stand opened in 1983 on Fourth Avenue and 12th Street in Huntington.

Owner Frank Lucente, a native of Fairmont, said he frequently visited Chick's Confectionery when he returned home while attending graduate school at Marshall.

"It got so bad that I would buy a dozen and freeze them and take them back to school with me," Lucente said. "I even had to buy a microwave to warm them up."

After doing this for several years, he decided to open his own stand in Huntington. Lucente asked the owner of Chick's Confectionery if he could have his chili recipe, but the owner refused.

After further research, Lucente found the recipe's originator and received the recipe.

Lucente spent six months perfecting the chili sauce with Rocco Muriale, owner of Rocco's Ristorante. After they created their sauce, Sam's Hot Dog Stand was born.

Rocco and Lucente worked together for a few years, before Rocco took over sole ownership of Rocco's Ristorante and Lucente took over the hot dog stand.

In 1990, Lucente started franchising and there are now 25 stores.

"We make our sauce and coleslaw in the store and we are the fastest hot dog makers in town," said Mary Johnson, owner of the Fourth Avenue Sam's Hot Dog Stand.

Farley's Famous Hot Dogs opened its doors in 1968. The original restaurant still exists in Barboursville.

Buckey Farley, co-owner of Farley's, said his grandparents opened the store because his grandfather was tired of working at Inco Alloys International Inc. Farley's parents helped his grandparents get the business started and keep it going.

His grandmother created the sauce that is still served today.

Farley said all of the food is cooked fresh and made to order.

In 1986, Farley entered the family business to help his mother run the restaurant .

Farley's used to be affiliated with Stewart's, but when Ste-wart's stopped brewing root beer by hand, the Farley family left and renamed their business.

"We make our own syrup for the root beer and brew it fresh," he said. "It is not prepackaged.

Farley's serves chili sauce seasonally, but it is the hot dog sauce that the company is proud to serve, Farley said. Employees also serve shakes, sandwiches and side orders.

There are currently three establishments in the Tri-state, with the Barboursville establishment being the oldest and the original building.