Saturday is my first "OFFICIAL" day in town

Well, I'm leaving the minors and moving up to the show. I've left the river which was for warm ups and secured a spot in town. The insurance agency I bought my policy from was nice enough to offer me a spot in their parking lot on the weekends since they aren't open. It's a prime spot too. Right in the heart of town along 4 lanes of traffic.

Labor day weekend kicks off around here with dove season. All the hunters head our direction to bird hunt and fill their feeders for upcoming archery/deer season. Town should be packed. Thousands of people will drive by my little cart Saturday. I'm going to try to work Saturdays unless it's storming and even then I'm going to make the effort. I'll have the next two weekends back to back and then I miss 2 because I'm heading to Colorado to elk hunt. By the time I get back we should be heading into fall where Texas days are nice and mild.

Taking along 160 dogs/buns, cokes, water, chips, and some BBQ brisket. I'll be selling my new Brisket Dog. We'll see how that works out.

Thanks to everyone for all your advice. I know my cart, my product, now I just have to learn my new customers.

Thanks

Arnie
The Family Dawg

Good Luck, Arnie!!

Brisket Dog sounds great!!

What are the toppings for the Brisket Dog?

Dove season!! LOL

Man that brisket dog sounds unreal. Going to have to fire up the smoker this weekend just thinking about that. Hey did you ever find a slaw that works with that.

Brisket dog!? I'm guessing meat on meat....deelish!

My brisket dog was just going to be chopped BBQ brisket in the bun with a dill pickle spear and maybe a little onion.

Never thought about throwing it on the hot dog.Interesting!

I'm holding off on the slaw until I see how many people ask for it. Slaw on BBQ is pretty much unheard of in my market. That doesn't mean I might not try it in the future though just to be different from the pack. I have to see how well the Brisket Dog does.

Dove recipe:

Skin your birds and stuff the breast cavity with some jimmy dean sausage and a jalepeno. Wrap some bacon around the dove to hold the contents in, toothpick it. Get an aluminum roaster pan and fill it full of italian dressing and throw it on the grill. BOIL/Simmer your doves in that italian dressing for about 30 minutes and then pull them out and transfer them directly to the grill to finish. That italian zing, bacon, sausage, jalepeno , dove bite will make your mouth water. Make sure you have a beer.

I love the fall. We make deer sausage, chunk meat(jerky), parisa, heart/liver/kidney stews, all kinds of stuff like the Germans/Alsatians did when they settled this area back in the 1840s. Ok...I'm finished.

"Nostalgia just isn't what it used to be."

Arnie

You pioneered the effort to introduce CSD's to the market!!!

However, I just bought a book on Texas Barbecue. I think slaw is against the law, in Texas. You do not want to go messin' with folks who are armed and ready to hunt.

I've lived a sheltered life. The only Dove I experience, is a bar made from chocolate and ice cream. Never had jerky of any sort.

I learn something new everyday!

You, my freind are on your way for sure.

Sell out of everything!

Way to go, Arnie!!!! I am pulling for you and have you in my prayers, amigo.

Dove season ehhh? Best of luck there! Hopefully the storms stay away for the holiday weekend there. Our Duck season in Michigan opens Monday (with a high of 89 degrees).. Be more like a mosquito swatting event than anything.
As for slaw on the Q, I said the same thing about it on Chili Dogs.. Never saw it around here, but it did become a new personal taste favorite here... Never hurts to introduce the locals to something new there.
And NEVER stop rambling about German, or other European foods there... Too many of us grew up on the stuff.
Best of luck there!

Arnie, I goot admit that you have more enthusiasm than a latenite car salesman! Good luck man.
I looked up Parsia and Ouch.. Deer tatare! Id be so scared if parasites(especially with my weakened immune system) I used to enjoy steak tatare but wont eat in theses days of food illness.
britt

Good luck Arnie! Look forward to your updates...

Don't know if'n you got one, but Sam's club carries a fine (and very reasonably priced) slaw. You can call it Carolina style Brisket dog so as to keep the gun play to a minimum.

Continued success!

VIc (not your Uncle)

How Did It Go Arnie?

Did you have a great day?

I went to czech republic a few years ago, their hambugers were 1/2 ham 1/2 beef, with a fried egg and cabbage with them!

Arnie. I ran a BBQ joint years ago. We put a pewter bucket(like for steamers) full of slaw as soon as they were seated. As such i went thru a ton! We would get in 5# bags of shredded slaw mix amd we had sysco make our dressing in gallon jars. All we did is mix and the next day it was perfect. I bought a bag of slaw mix at kroger and a bottle of Marzetti slaw dressing and it camed out better than the store bough(deli) slaw. The shredded mix will last a long time under refrigeration(a week or better) after you open it.
QUick and easy.
britt

What a day. I'm beat. Hot dog selling is work!!!!

I sold out. Worked 8 hours but sold 160 dogs and 20 or so brisket dogs. Had 4 repeat customers specifically for CSD. They came in at lunch and came back at supper. Everyone commented on how soft the buns were and how good everything was. Lot's of folks told me they saw CSDs on TV and couldn't believe I had the real thing. Plenty asked me when I'm coming back and I told them Saturdays unless it's raining, which in Texas means I should be there 99% of the time.

I swear, I look up and it's 2PM and I haven't eaten or drank a thing. And it was hot. The neighboring business saw how many people I drew and offered me some shady spots a few hundred feet down the road. 1 more month and heat won't be a big deal. I have a good spot and it can only get better if I do my part and show up with regularity. I think I can handle 250-300 dogs in an 8 hour period, but don't see how I can physically do more. Maybe I will get better/stronger. I was humping it today and felt like I didn't ever get caught up(on chores). When I wasn't adding buns to steamers,filling condiments, or hanging chips back up, I was adding water to my pans and cleaning up. It was physical work but satisfying at the end of the day.


I sincerely believe that the demographic in my market will fall in love with the CSD as I have. I'm thinking about dropping the chips and just doing dogs and cokes. Chips are a hassle and I don't believe folks are showing up for them. It's all about the dog. Quite a few people said they turned around and came back becuase they have never seen a cart before and wanted to eat a hot dog from one.

I was perfect on buns, had one left at the end of the day. Counted out 90 pickle spears before I left and had 1 left when I sold my last dog. Never ran out of sport peppers but needed the wife to bring me more onions and I ran out of relish on the last 10 dogs. I'm debating whether to replace the BBQ pan with sauerkraut. Lot's of old timers around here that like that stuff. Maybe I'll try it when it cools off. Overall, everything worked well. I forgot my sunscreen and I got a nice burn. I have to streamline my operation. I have too many coolers, boxes , etc. I need to consolidate some stuff.

My Mom drove an hour with my sister to come see me. She took some pics so when I get them I'll post em. I have a couple from my cell phone but they aren't that good. I'll post them tomorrow when I recover.

Thanks

Arnie
The Family Dawg

Congrats Arnie! Sounds like ya may have had a good day there.. :)
Get a good nights snooze there.. Then start plotting out the next setup.

Very nice, Arnie!!

Mom & Sis got a free hot dog, right?

As long as Mom does not start breaking out the baby pictures, to show all of your customers how cute you were, she is entitled to a free meal.

Man did you ever leave the minors as you say. Way to go.

Congrats Arnie.
The first one is the most important day... Good customer feedbacks show you are on the right way and that all your efforts pay.
Go on.

Congratulations!!! This is pretty neat to follow right along!

Everyone pays!

Except the owner of my spot. He gets whatever he wants for free. Probably take care of law enforcement with DEEEEEP discounts because you never know when you might run into them. Haven't run into one yet.

My Mom insisted because her group, my sister, nieces and nephews, ate 11 dogs and drank a bunch of sodas.

Arnie
The Family Dawg

Ok, when Mom shows up with a contingent (and insists) she pays!!

My Mom would show up with a bright orange detour sign. She would say "Sweetie, I can handle this two ways".

Pics in action:


Nephew:


Looking forward to next Saturday.

Arnie

Love the pic's but what is with the statement Old timers love the Kraut around here. Take offense to that for it resembles me. Have them from 35 and up order that way. Kraut with onions and mustard (spicy) also big seller.

great pic. I finally get to order my cart. see you got your logo perfected with some nice color. great job, i hope my first time is as sucessful as yours.

i live next city over to the gallatin road area by rivergate mall, the taffic there travels fast, about 45-50, but lots of places to set up at a stop light. i think that would work, not sure though

Arnie,

Congrats on the great weekend! Wife and I are going to take a road trip and drive down from Bandera and hunt for a dawg next weekend.

Mark

ArnieTX, Your hard work and enthusiasm are what's paying off. You are a real life American Entrepreneur. Enjoy!

BTW, Charge your Mother again I'm coming after you.

Mark

I got your email, just haven't had a chance to respond. I'm next to the Napa at Brucks Insurance. Right before the light at the Shell station if you are coming from 173. You can't miss my big Vienna umbrella.

Thanks to everyone for the kind words and support.

I love my hot dog cart!

Arnie

You deserve every last bit of your success.

Everyone thinking of getting a cart should follow your example, and have your attitude.

Thanks Spud.

Here's a cell phone pic right after I popped the umbrella open. My view from behind the cart.



Arnie