75-year-old building torn down to make way for larger restaurant
By Dolores Quintana
The original location of the venerable Hot Dog on a Stick on the Santa Monica beach boardwalk has been demolished.
The 75 year old “weiner shack” site will become a new and 50 percent larger location that retains the charm of the original building.
The building will increase in size from 400 square feet to 680 and the front facade of the building that faces the boardwalk will go from ten feet to fifteen feet.
“The Hot Dog on a Stick Muscle Beach location is where our brand’s history began, and we are forever grateful to the locals in the area for giving us such an amazing start. For over 75 years, it has been our pleasure to serve up smiles with our fresh, hand-stomped lemonade and signature stick offerings. We built a unique experience that people seek out, all while not losing our authenticity,” said Jenn Johnston, President of Hot Dog on a Stick “We are confident our guests will love our refreshed look which will set us up for the next 75 years of business. While the building will be getting the make-over it deserves, the location itself will still maintain its nostalgic feel with smiling Hotdoggers ready to serve you.”
It is possible that the restaurant will make a quick return to Muscle Beach since the estimate from the California Coastal Commission on the completion of the new building is a mere two months from the start of demolition. Corn dog and lemonade fans might be able to visit the all new Hot Dog On A Stick in time for the Memorial Day holiday if all goes to plan.
In 1946, Dave Barham opened the original food stand just to the south of the Santa Monica Pier. Originally called Party Puffs, the bright red barnlike stand served ice cream cones and lemonade but that all changed when, using his mom’s cornbread recipe, Barham perfected the corndog. To highlight this new menu staple, he changed the name of his stand to Hot Dog on a Stick. Next, he took his products on the road and started selling at county fairs using his Lincoln Continental as a generator. After that, Hot Dog on a Stick took to the malls. Now Hot Dog on a Stick has 70 stores in 7 states.
