Growing up together in Farmington Hills, Shelby Berger, Blake Boesky and Evan Feldman never dreamed they would be selling hot dogs to bar hoppers at 2 a.m.
But the three college hotdoggers are doing just that with their business, Weenies, which sells hot dogs from a cart on the corner of M.A.C. and Albert avenues. They are the city’s only vendor.
“We were chilling at my place one day thinking of how we wanted to make money,” said Feldman, a business and pre-law sophomore. “And we thought there are not a lot of different foods to eat in East Lansing, except pizza.
“And there is nothing like a hot dog when you’re drunk.”
Feldman; Berger, a communication sophomore; and Boesky, a pre-law business sophomore at Lansing Community College, decided they would be the ones to bring hot dog vending to East Lansing.
They work Wednesday through Saturday from 10 p.m. until 3 a.m. serving hot dogs, sausage, grilled cheese pitas, chips, candy and pop to anyone looking for cheap food.
“Our busiest time is at 1:45 a.m.,” Berger said. “When the bars close and those kids come out hungry - we get flocked.”
Berger said it also is a great atmosphere for people to hang out after the bar.
“We have a big disco light, music blaring and a space heater,” he said. “It’s a great place to meet people.”
The co-owners, though, are waiting for the spring, when they hope the warmer weather will bring more customers and interest.
“When it’s nicer outside we are going to maybe have some kinds of competitions,” Boesky said.
The vendors sell four types of sausages and hot dogs. One of the group’s specialty items - the MSU Blumpkin - is a pita with melted cheese wrapped around a hot dog or sausage, filled with toppings.
Lindsey Rafferty, a communication senior, opted instead for a grilled cheese pita at 2 a.m. Thursday.
She said the hot dog stand is something the city definitely needed.
“This is good because most people live in this direction are going home from the bar,” she said. “It’s good for post-bar cravings.”
However, Jim van Ravensway, the city’s director of planning and community development, said street vendors always have been very controversial in the downtown.
“Street vendors are great,” he said. “But it has been an issue because merchants think that vendors get an unfair advantage over existing merchants.”
The East Lansing Downtown Development Authority used to have a temporary concessionaires program, which gave vendors guidelines such as where they could be located. The program expired more than two years ago.
Vic Loomis, chairman of the development authority, said vending is an issue he intends to look into.
“There are some people who feel there should not be concessionaires at all in downtown,” Loomis said. “And there are some that think it a positive thing; that is why we want to set some guidelines for the them.”
Despite the city’s concerns, the vendors still plan on pumping their music and serving up hot dogs to late night party-goers.
“You’re not only paying for a dog,” Berger said. “But for the experience of meat on the street.”
