GATHER ‘ROUND THE DOG WAGON: Former deli clerks cook up gourmet hot dogs on the go

Published 2:17 pm Tuesday, December 2, 2014

The quintessential spirit of entrepreneurship and hardy “manifest destiny” attitude that makes America the land of opportunity is alive and well, and it tastes great with cream cheese and jalapeños.

Of course, neither Coy Wilson or Keith Granger were thinking in such philosophical terms when they started The Dog Wagon, a mobile hot dog eatery serving Hebrew National’s all-beef kosher dogs at various venues on Bainbridge and throughout Kitsap County.

They just ran out of cars to detail.

“In 2011 Coy started his own mobile detailing business on Bainbridge,” Granger explained. “The problem was that here in the great Northwest, it is not always the best weather for detailing. To supplement the slow season Coy started working in the Safeway deli with me.”

Right about now those Review readers who frequent the shopping center on High School Road are undoubtedly thinking, “Oh, that’s where I know those guys!”

Yes, indeed, Wilson and Granger quickly became familiar fixtures behind the deli counter, and it was their experience there that ultimately lead them to their true hot-off-the-grill calling.

“During our time [at Safeway] we learned everything we needed to know about food service and quality products, one of those products being Hebrew National hot dogs,” Granger said. “At this point, both Coy and I were ready for a change. So, we began thinking about lucrative businesses that we could start on our own. After reading an article in ‘Entrepreneur’ magazine about hot dog vendors, we decided to start The Dog Wagon.”

Wilson was the first to strike out on his own, at first to focus on the detailing businesses full-time.

When things got frantic in the peak season, he enlisted Granger with the plan that they would diversify into hot dogs as things slowed down.

The rest, as the saying goes, is history.

The Dog Wagon began their inaugural cookout in May at the Kingston Farmers Market [where they can still regularly be found during the season], but the men behind the wagon had even bigger plans already in the works.

“A month and a half after being open we contacted Hebrew National and told them about our venture,” Granger explained. “They wanted to help us, so they branded The Dog Wagon.”

Being an officially branded operation got The Dog Wagon crew free signs and shirts to improve their budding business. The product itself, however, needs little advertising.

Though universally recognized as an essential aspect of Americana, the hot dog itself actually dates much further back than the land which ultimately adopted and perfected it.

According to History.com, the first hot dog was created by Gaius, the personal chef of the notorious Roman emperor Nero.

Eventually, the recipe made its way to Germany — where even today two towns claim to be the original birthplace of the modern hot dog.

“Frankfurt claims the frankfurter was invented there over 500 years ago, in 1484, eight years before Columbus set sail for America,” the History.org article reads. “But the people of Vienna (Wien, in German) say they are the true originators of the ‘wienerwurst.’ No matter which town might have originated this particular sausage, it’s generally agreed that German immigrants to New York were the first to sell wieners, from a pushcart, in the 1860s.”

There in the origins of the food’s stateside debut, lies the key to the entire hot dog dynasty. What has long appealed to a busy American workforce most about hot dogs is undoubtedly their portability, a theme Wilson and Granger took a step further by making their entire operation mobile.

“I think probably the best perk is not having any kind of overhead,” Wilson explained. “We don’t have any light bills or payroll to pay or anything like that. Plus, instead of waiting for people to come to us we’re just putting our product right in front of people.”

Low and behold, the people have been responding well — better, in fact, that the guys had anticipated at first.

“After [the farmers market] we met several people in our community that offered different places for us to set up our hot dog stand,” Granger said. “We have come a long way in six months and many of our customers have been great resources for making our business better.”

The Dog Wagon partners most often with breweries and bars, setting up where food is not served or after the host establishment’s kitchen closes, and also the Kingston ferry.

They also cater private events and parties.

For two young first-time entrepreneurs, being their own boss was an exciting and scary prospect, but one that they both now say is worth the risk.

“It was exciting knowing that I’m going to be my own boss, but it was scary because I’ve never not had a job,” Wilson remembered. “I didn’t know if I should hang on to that [deli] job and do this, but a lot of people I talked to that do food said that’s not one of those things you can do part-time. I think it was worth it in the end.”

Seattle, along with her southern neighbor Portland, is known throughout the country as some of the best locales to find delicious mobile food operations. Now, thanks to two former deli clerks and the natural weather conditions that make detailing a car useless for about half a year, the tradition continues here in Kitsap County with The Dog Wagon.

Find The Dog Wagon on Facebook for the latest schedule (www.facebook.com/dogwagonllc?fref=pho

to) or email thedogwagon@gmail.com for catering queries and more information.

Where to find The Dog Wagon

Thursday: 10 p.m. to close at the Filling Station in Kingston.

Friday: 3 p.m. to close at the Bainbridge Island Brewery.

Saturday: 1 to 9 p.m. at Valhöll Brewing in Poulsbo. Then, from 10 p.m. to close at Envy Bar & Grill in Poulsbo.

Sunday: 12 to 8 p.m. at Cleo’s Landing (across the street from The Filling Station on the main road heading to the ferry terminal) in Kingston.

Find The Dog Wagon on Facebook for the latest schedule (www.facebook.com/dogwagonllc?fref=photo).

Email thedogwagon@gmail.com for catering inquires and more information.