Hot Diggidy Dog opens

On June 3, Saratoga welcomed a new business, Hot Diggidy Dog, to the Platte Valley. Susan Wallace and Ellie Hoyt joined forces to operate their hot dog business together.

Hoyt has some experience in the field; 14 years ago, she operated the hot dog shop across from the post office and behind Perue Printing for about three years. Wallace and Hoyt have known each other for quite some time. Hoyt mentioned to Wallace that she was planning on reopening her hot dog business and asked Wallace if she wanted to join her, which is how Hot Diggidy Dog came to be.

This small business sets itself apart from other restaurants in town because it is a place that people can go to grab something quick for lunch and then head back to work. Saratoga is limited on lunch options for quick bites, so Hot Diggidy Dog hit it right on the mark. "We're trying to fit a need in Saratoga where it's not just a 'sit down and eat' place," Wallace said.

The shop is a concession type of place, but with grilled specialty dogs. They carry items such as brats, Italian sausages and Polish sausages. These specialty dogs include fresh baked buns. Turkey dogs and foot longs are also on their menu. Hot Diggidy Dog makes their own Coney Island sauce and homemade chili.

Hoyt and Wallace complement each other well in the business; Hoyt knows more about the demographics while Wallace has experience with the marketing side of things. They quickly found their groove at Hot Diggidy Dog.

The pair found a great location right on First Street for the shop. ERA Shepard & Associates allowed Wallace and Hoyt to build a section for Hot Diggidy Dog inside the other end of their building. "Andrea Shepard was very easy to work with. They rented us this space and allowed us to build," Wallace said. "It's a lot of fun [working here]."

Hot Diggidy Dog attracts people from all age groups. So far this summer, it has been very popular among tourists passing by on the streets. The business even has some regular customers in town already.

National Hot Dog Day was last Thursday on July 23 and Hot Diggidy Dog was prepared. They had a 'buy one get one free' deal on that day for customers who came to the shop with their pets in costumes.

The owners of Hot Diggidy Dog are very thankful to everybody in the community for their support and help in getting the shop open and running.

Hot Diggidy Dog is open seven days a week. Their summer hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. They accept all major credit and debit cards and also have gift cards available.