I get such a kick out of the names of Chicago Hot Dog joints: Mustard’s Last Stand; Wiener and Still Champion; Superdawg; Flub A Dub Chub’s; Red Hot Ranch; Hot Diggity Dogs; Relish the Thought; Dear Frank’s; and U Daw U, to name a few. (See Vienna Beef’s Hall of Fame for a few more.) But one of our most famous, Hot Doug’s, is set to close today.
Not that the comings and goings of hot dog joints is usually all that big of a deal. But this one’s quite possibly the biggest of them all. Which is, perhaps, why the Chicago Tribune sent reporter Kevin Pang to conduct an exit interview with owner of “The Sausage Superstore
and Encased Meat Emporium,” Doug Sohn.
Whether you like hot dogs, or not, it’s well-worth a read – Pang’s questions are respectful, clever, and out-of-the-ordinary. And Sohn’s answers are thoughtful, grounded, and delightful. Clearly, he’s a man at peace with his decision.
Here’s the link to Hot Doug’s The Exit Interview. Enjoy!