Posted on 02/08/2014 11:58:03 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Carlsbad-based chain Hot Dog on a Stick filed a Chapter 11 petition in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Los Angeles on Monday.
The company, known widely for staff in brightly-colored, striped uniforms and impaled corn dogs, said in a statement that it is seeking relief in order to reorganize and restructure its business.
Hot Dog on a Stick, which currently operates 93 locations, said that it plans to continue business as usual throughout the bankruptcy proceedings.
The company also said that, in addition to working to save money in the supply chain and in stores, it has made significant reductions to its corporate workforce and expenses, while trying to increase sales over the past year.
In addition to these continued efforts, HDOS said that it plans to work with its landlords in order to review and renegotiate leases, the vast majority of which are reported to have been written at the height of the real estate bubble.
“Like many mall-based businesses, HDOS signed some very expensive leases during the booming economy of the mid-2000s,” CEO Dan Smith said. “In addition, declining mall foot traffic over the past several years has had a negative impact on sales at most company locations. We’ve been pursuing new leases in all locations and the Chapter 11 filing will allow us to do so in a more effective manner. The mall business is built around the relationships and partnerships between tenant and landlord. We want to be in malls where the relationship is positive and the partnership is mutually beneficial.”
Smith said that, since the Hot Dog on a Stick brand has been strong and iconic for so many years, the initiatives of the company and cooperation of partners will allow them to emerge from the bankruptcy proceedings “in a position to thrive well into the future.”
The first HDOS restaurant was opened by founder Dave Barham in 1946 as Party Puffs at Santa Monica Beach. The restaurant sold ice cream and lemonade, according to the company’s website. Later, Barham used his mother’s cornbread recipe to perfect the corn dog, and he changed the eatery’s name to Hot Dog on a Stick, traveling with his product to county fairs. It was at these fairs that he got the idea for the colorful, eye-catching colorful uniforms.
Barham reportedly opened his first shopping mall restaurant in 1973 in Salt Lake City. He died in 1991 and left the company to his workers.
Hot Dog on a Stick operates under an employee stock ownership plan.
Lots and lots of restaurant chains going Chapter 11, or nearly so. What this needs is a minimum wage hike.
Now where is Obama going to eat, Indonesia?
Hey, that wouldn’t be “Bo” in that bun, would it?
Which other chains have gone Chapter 11? It could be that this chain just did not have good food and was not properly run and managed.
I have heard both Olive Garden and Red Lobster are close to Chapter 11.
Furr’s cafetrerias as well
Nope, that's not Bo.
I’ve honestly never heard of the place, but then I tend to avoid malls like the plague. Even as a teen, I never wanted to “hang out” at them. I would imagine it’s rather tough business running a niche food place in a mall. I mean, rents are high, and not everyone wants a corndog for lunch.
Still, I’m guessing the hot dog on a stick type places aren’t the only ones taking the hit at shopping malls. Several of the malls in my area have lost anchor stores and/or have a fair number of empty spaces for rent.
My local mall just lost its McDonald’s. You know things are bad when McDonald’s can’t survive.
Their food and fresh lemonade is very tasty. I think there problem is they charge like $3.25 for a not so large corn dog. And expensive lemonade too. Look at In and Out burger with huge success..like a dollar less for a bigger cheeseburger. Greed makes a bad business model.
“My local mall just lost its McDonald’s. You know things are bad when McDonald’s can’t survive.”
Mmmm, but was there an increase in sport shoe shops at that mall? I’ve noticed that dying malls have an increase in those stores right before they finally bite the dust.
The HDOS should have added SOS to their menu. That would pull them out of trouble.
(For those who don’t know about SOS, it means S-— on a Shingle, a favorite of our military in years gone by. Oh, I have to take my dog out. He needs to dump a load of S-—.)
I seem to vaguely recall the place from family visits to SoCal in the 80’s. But I remember more so encountering Orange Julius and whatever place it was that sold the pita sandwiches in malls out there.
Also, Cali Dairy Queens were weird from what I remember.
I hear ya. More taxes, too. It will give the employees the opportunity to write poetry and drink hot cocoa in their PJs.
“I hear ya.”
Yup. Nothing like $8 hamburgers to drive consumer demand and provide job security.
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