Hotdog Heaven
I've always been very curious why I have not seen more food vendors on Elmwood Avenue. Yes, we now have our infamous Ice Creamcycle cruising around the strip, but that's about it. This morning Drew Ludwig, Pastor of the Lafayette Presbyterian Church, called to inform me that he had just rented a small concrete footprint in front of his building to a hotdog vendor. Later in the afternoon I swung by to learn about the new partnership struck up between Drew and Nick Smith, proprietor of Nick's Dogs.
Nick had originally looked at setting up his first hotdog cart on Bidwell Parkway, but that ultimately proved to be too expensive. As fate would have it he then bumped into Drew who was outside mowing the lawn of the church. The two soon struck up a deal that benefited both parties - this past Saturday was the first day of operation for Nick's Dogs. "It was a very good first day for me," he told me. "And so far today has been decent. I was lucky enough to find a business with a low cost of entry. I found a good deal on a cart and I keep it simple by just selling hotdogs. So far no one has asked for a burger." As we talked, a young girl walked up to the cart and asked if Nick had any soy dogs. After discussing the vegetarian product for a couple of minutes Nick turned to me and said, "Tomorrow we'll be selling soy dogs. I'll go out tonight and buy a six pack... we'll see how they sell."
Nick does stray from the Sahlen's hotdogs just a bit. He also serves up some Mineo and Sapio sausages (on rolls purchased, but not made, at Guercio's). "I first tried selling hotdogs for a Buffalo State College fraternity event," Nick said. "Before I knew it I had a line of people fifty feet long. That's when I first realized that this was a relatively easy start-up. My customers sit on the Lafayette Church steps and 'people watch' as they eat their dogs ($2 each - get a free bag of chips or a pop when you order two). The majority of my customers have been guys... I'm going to go out and buy some flowers and put them by the cart to get more girls to come by (the soy dogs might help too)."
Nick is going to talk to Drew about getting a couple of fold-up café tables and chairs to set up next to the cart. The young entrepreneur, originally from the Lovejoy (Iron Island) neighborhood, also coaches Ponytail softball at LaSalle Park (when he's not attending Buff State or selling hotdogs). And come fall he'll be back in college with some spending money in his pocket. Nick also has two or three more start-ups in the back of his mind... hopefully we'll be seeing more from this guy in the not-so-distant future. He told me that people are already saying that he's a shoo-in for the Artvoice best hotdog award.
Look for Nick's Dogs in front of Lafayette Presbyterian Church - corner of Elmwood and Lafayette - Monday through Friday all summer long.
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Comment Options
comptart_lws
why was it more expensive on Bidwell, than on Elmwood?
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wizardofza
OMG a new hot dog vender... must be a slow news day...
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buffalostan
First they got all the bums haning round there now they selling hot dogs in a church this is sacralige and that pastor is a bad man.
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BuffaloRox
Someone could make a fortune if they set up a stand by the basketball courts at Delaware Park.
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al-alo
Rox,
id love that myself. not so much for the good business model. mostly to undo all the exercise taking place on the nearby track.
muuuuuuaaaaaaaaaaah!
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buffaloboy14
BuffaloRox- a stand near the basketball court!!!? You know how many times it would get held up!!!
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Drew
Stan. If you would like to talk to me about the people you call bums, or what it is about me that you find "bad," please send me an email: drew@elmwoodjesus.org, or call the church: 886-6635.
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RaChaCha
Nick, if you're looking for an unusual (to Buffalo) and tasty item, you might try offering white hots - a big deal here in My Fair City, but never to be found at Buffalo vendors. Among the best are Zweigle's, available at (needless to say) Wegmans. Of course, the best way to enjoy a white hot is atop a garbage plate with everything at Nick Tahou's (www.GarbagePlate.com), but they're also quite tasty in a bun from a vendor.
Don't know if they'll help draw more girls to your cart...
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B-LoLawStu
I stopped by this stand over the weekend... Really nice guy who also told me he coaches youth softball... And you really can't go wrong with 2 Hot Dogs, a bag of chips and a can of pop for 5 bucks
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buffaloboy14
Oh oh Stan the Pastor is going to whoop your a@@!!!
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Tuco
I've been on the ring at Delaware Park many times, and the last thing 75% of the people need are a hot dog. An extra lap or ten would be FAR more beneficial.
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RaChaCha
Newell, I'm glad you publicize enterprises like Nick's and James' (Ice Cream Cycle), because street vendors truly add to the vibrancy of a city. I still remember when My Fair City re-allowed street vendors after how many decades' absence - and now it would be hard to imagine our downtown (and neighborhoods and venues all over the city) without them. They go a long way toward restoring a sense of "walkability", and balance back to our streets from the dominance of the automobile.
About that, I recently came across an item in Mark Goldman's "City on the Edge": "Nothing more dramatically altered the relationship that existed between people and the landscape of the city than automobiles, which, by the early 1920s, had come to dominate... ."
"In 1927, a man named Miller McClintock, director of the Erskine Bureau for Street Traffic Research at Harvard, delivered a talk in Buffalo on 'How the City Traffic Problem Will Be Solved.' Among the many ideas and suggestions offered was the dictum that 'the streets need to be cleared of all private encroachments such as newsstands, merchandise displays, peddlers carts and advertising wagons.' McClintock, like so many of his generation, paved the way for the end of street life that the people of Buffalo had for so long known."
I say our cities need less of the auto-centric "McClintock dictum" and more folks like Nick and James!
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Celia
I am a fan of the street vendor.
There's a hot dog vendor at the new Erie Canal slip. Very good.
My personal wish is for a vendor of samosas and pastelillos, in Allentown/Elmwood. Grilled corn would be nice, too.
I still think that having a vendor or the ice cream shop at the Hoyt Lake casino open during the day would be a smart move. This one constantly perplexes me.
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LittleSis
Nick, best of luck- and THANK YOU for trying out the veggie dogs! Please give them a chance- they'll definitely sell once the word gets out. Vegetarians love street vendors, too, but there's rarely an option for us. Visiting Toronto about ten years ago, I was amazed to find that almost all of the vendors there had veggie dogs- I've been looking for them here ever since!
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tommyBluez
mmmmmmm white hots!!
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pegger
I sure hope that the City of Buffalo Dept. of Broken Dreams doesn't find him before he can earn enough to make his next college year affordable.
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TEKE1
Good Luck Nick
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icecreamdude
i love the entrepreneurial spirit! best of luck to you Nick!
that entire side of delaware park is not very conducive to any sort of food sales considering the reason the majority of the people are there.
.
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GDC
I'm in favor of a few stands around Delaware Park and especially around Downtown on the WEEKENDS.
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scooter
very impressed nick. good job drew. good luck.
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berniceheartsyou
i agree with GDC
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Quinn
Drew - do you think we could arrange to have Nick available after service on Sunday? Protein is acceptable during coffee hour, right?
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stephenjames716
good luck nick!
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Drew
Haha. Nick sets his own hours, but it seems to me that Sunday Afternoon would be a good time to sell some dogs.
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driz716
I hope this spurs some new vendors. I'm in the mood for something a little different.......arepas, falafel, etc.
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MJWorthington
The MEGA Churches have designed in TIm Horton's, Etc. So what is so wrong about a Hotdog vendor out front here? I think it is a great idea that makes the church more welcoming.
And I just love when people rail on the poor or a church for helping them. The sad part is most of these types of people call themselves christian, etc at the same time.
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TheHotDogMan
Thank you to everyone who supports me and the rest of the little guys. I'm am very new to this business. This was my third day selling on elmwood. I am very happy with my location and I would like to thank Drew for supporting my idea and Newell for reporting about it. Its been an adventurous first couple of days...from people Shouting at me "Real Smart ...putting a hotdog stand next to a soup kitchen where lunch is free!!!" , to all the people walking their dogs, the people givng suggestions, the curious people who like to go threw all your stuff, and to all the beautiful smiling faces that pass by. I have to say i love it and I am glad to be a part of it. It's the diversity that makes buffalo especially elmwood truely special. If you have a minute leave me a suggestion of some foods that can be grilled or steamed that you would like to see, I will definitly look at them and spend some time on seeing if it is possible.
Nick
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hilaritee
buffaloboy14:
nice racist don imus inspired remark about the basketball courts. very enlightened.
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RaChaCha
Nick, in case any of your customers ask about the architecture or history of the church, here's a link to info:
http://www.buffaloah.com/a/elmwd/590/hp/hp.html
All the best!
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fredrico
Nick
May I talk you into selling BUNNY DOGS? They sell them at a resturant called Old Man River (located near the river). All it is - is a pre boiled full length carrot that the vender then char's really well on the grill after it is ordered. Then you throw all the mustard., onions, hot sauce , etc. on it and it tastes just like a hot dog without having to wonder what is really in that meat!! Every once in a while I drive all the way to Old Man River to get one - but having them on Elmwood would be great. Let me know what you think.
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driz716
bunny dogs are way better with honey and cinnamin
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TheHotDogMan
Bunny Dogs....That's a pretty interesting idea. It wouldn't be hard to do since i have a steam table and a grill on my cart. I will get some carrots , honey and cinnamon for tomorrow afternoon. I need a favor from you drizf and a favor from you fredrico...If i cook em can you guys help me by being the taste-testers.
Nick
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heather_b
Could you call them BUNY DOGS as in BUffalo New York?
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heather_b
wow, that worked out better than expected! :-)
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fredrico
Nick,
If you make the BUNY Dogs (from Buffalo!) not only will I come by and taste test them but you will see me VERY often buying one for a snack!! ( I can't wait!). Since your cart is near the Lexington Coop I'll bet you will get allot of vegterians who love the taste of hot dog sauce without having meat in the dog. Let me know when I should come by.
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driz716
Im totally there for a BUNY dog.
Lets get some weekend hours going soon..............Its kind of a hike for me in an half hour lunch M-F!!
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fredrico
Nick!
That BUNNY DOG you made me was FANTASTIC!! It was sooo delicious!! (WAY better than the ones at Old Man River too). I had wished I had ordered two of them. Well - I am coming back tomorrow on my lunch hour for another BUNNY DOG (around 1pm - if you want to throw one on the grill for me). Buy the way - you cooked that dog to perfection. Wait till the word gets out that you have those - I think they are going to be a big hit.
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TheHotDogMan
Thanks fredrico...I'm glad you enjoyed it! I love making new stuff and even though i really am not a big fan of carrots i had to try it and i have to say i liked it alot! I like the name BUNY Dog! It fits. If anyone else is interested in them stop by and i'll grill ya up one. They take a lil bit to grill but they are worth it!! Ra Cha Cha thanks for the info on the church I checked it out today and it was pretty interesting.
On another note...I will have heated up cheese hopefully starting friday! :)
Any other suggestions please post!
Nick
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TheHotDogMan
P.S. Saturday i will be there ASAP after my girls softball game. Starts at 10 and should be done around 12:30. Sunday I'll be there a bit after mass which ends at 11 am.
Nick
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fredrico
Nick! That BUNNY DOG you made me was FANTASTIC!! It was sooo delicious!! (WAY better than the ones at Old Man River too). I had wished I had ordered two of them. Well - I am coming back tomorrow on my lunch hour for another BUNNY DOG (around 1pm - if you want to throw one on the grill for me). Buy the way - you cooked that dog to perfection. Wait till the word gets out that you have those - I think they are going to be a big hit
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driz716
mmmmmmmmmm.........carrots!
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driz716
mmmmmmmmmm.........carrots!
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mrfnfrank
I have always been fascinated and ponderous of why I dont see more vendors around: Is it the difficulty of obtaining a spot or simply just a lack of vendors? HotDogMan, I apologize if Im being out of line, but could you possibly shed some light on this? (ie: Do you pay a set rent or a percentage to the church?) Also, what was "too expensive" about Bidwell? Call me crazy, but I always thought you could/should go wherever you wanted on public property: How does this red-taped madness work!?
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