Former pol sees his future in hot dogs
Former Assemblyman Robert Straniere plans to roll out a franchise frankfurter business come spring
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
By ROB HART
ADVANCE ALBANY BUREAU
ALBANY -- Former Assemblyman Robert Straniere is frank about his latest endeavor: He's in the hot-dog business.
The 64-year-old, who for 24 years represented the South Shore in the state capital, will launch the New York City Hot Dog Company in April.
"Hot dogs are the most popular food product in America," he said, admitting that he chows down on red-hots at least twice a week.
He hopes to grow the enterprise into a national chain specializing in "the best" frankfurters, along with chili, two soups a day and panninis.
"We'll probably do chicken, turkey and veggie franks, especially for the California market," he quipped.
Straniere said his chain will offer a clean, friendly and fun environment. "We want [the chain] to reflect our great city and its boroughs," he added.
Due to pending business filings, he couldn't reveal his business partners or the national hot dog manufacturer with which he's finalizing a deal.
But Straniere did say that the company is aggressively scouting locations and hopes to have an anchor site in Manhattan by April, where he lives and maintains his law office.
His heart is still in Staten Island, though, and he eventually would like to hawk hot dogs in the borough.
In the fall, he scouted areas in downtown Los Angeles, and he calls the nation's capital "an attractive hot dog market."
He also has spoken to friends in Boston who are open to the idea of a New York chain, with redevelopment currently under way in that city.
FROM BILLS TO BUNS
The idea to move from bills to buns, he said, was conceived while he was in China in December 2004. He was dining with business associates, for whom he serves as a private consultant.
They decided that hot dogs would be a great food product for the Chinese market.
"While working on that venture to bring hot dogs to China, it morphed into hot dogs in America," he said.
Straniere said he couldn't be happier about this newest business opportunity, coming as it does more than a year after he lost a Republican primary to Vincent Ignizio, who was later elected to the South Shore seat.
Since then, Straniere said he has helped run a political campaign in far-off Macedonia, worked with a political school in Romania and traveled to China, Australia and Korea.
"I enjoyed every day I served in the Legislature, and I'm having the best of times in my new career opportunities and business ventures," he said.
Rob Hart covers state government for the Advance. He may be reached at
rhart@siadvance.com © 2006 Staten Island Advance
