The All-American Hot Dog Stand
I have always liked the idea of the hot dog. The all American one handed simple working person’s food!
As a kid growing up in the 50’s in rural New Jersey, we had a few of these quirky road side joints that sold hot dogs. My dad would load us up in the station wagon and off we go as a family to Hot Dog Johnny’s. In town as teenagers, you could hang out on the oversize steps at Leo’s with your Nehi orange soda. During the summer, what family barbeque, clam bake, or post parade function did not serve hot dogs!
Fast forward to the late 90’s. My wife & I drove by this out of the way, stand alone building on Hwy 17 in Mt Pleasant. We both remarked, this would make a perfect roadside attraction for a hot dog joint. Our boys were in high school, so we had our first workforce with them and their friends.
In the 80’s we started five restaurants in the Burlington, VT area. I was always intrigued with the so called look, or theatre of the restaurant. You made your mark with the quality of your food, the personality of the owners & staff and the feel of the environment. This feel was my specialty!
At one restaurant, the Daily Planet we had this rocket hanging over our little dance floor. My partner Kenny called it Ming, the Mercifulness. As kids we were always fascinated with Flash Gordon and the campy view of the future. I kept Ming after we moved to Isle of Palms, so when it came time to name the joint - Jack’s Cosmic Dogs, Ming’s rocket was in front.
In coming up with Jack’s concept, we just focused on what we remembered as kids. Hot dogs, fresh cut fries, soft serve ice cream, draft root beer, vintage longneck sodas. Keep it simple and we did. We threw in some interesting colors of ketchup and mustard with some nostalgic props and BAM! Voted Best Hot Dog in Charleston area since 2000.
Jack Hurley - The Big Dog
Where are you from?
JH: Hackettstown, New Jersey. Home of M&M's Candies - I used to watch the peanuts dive into the chocolate when I was bored in the summer!
What do you enjoy about the restaurant business?
JH: I like the theater of a restaurant. I think there should be an ambiance, a feel where you know there is an owner’s vision behind a place and it is not just a chain. Ambiance and the quality of the food are the two most-important things. I have started 6 restaurants and 5 of them are still in operation after 30 years. With Jack’s Cosmic Dogs, unlike a chain where customers eat their food for convenience, people search us out for the experience! I am proud I have created a place like that in this community.
Your restaurants are filled with artwork.
Where do you get the artistic aspect of your personality?
JH: I am a creative person by nature, not an artist, and I am a “Junker”. I like to combine unusual objects together. The same way I create the theater in my restaurants, I created in my house, office and backyard.
If you had a week off where would you go?
JH: Anyplace with my Priscilla and I mean anyplace. I could have fun with her anywhere. We like to travel where we know people because it is more fun. Her career with The Bob Pike Group - Training Trainers, requires a lot of travel. So, I try to pick some city she is going to that sounds interesting, somewhere a little bit off the beaten path.
What are some of your future goals?
JH: Spend more time with my sons, play bogey golf, travel more with Priscilla and just find some comfortable shoes!
