How Nipper's Got Started...A Dogs Tale.
by Bob Shenise
Like so many great ideas, Nipper's was conceived over a period of time and a few cold brews
with my good friend Walter, a retired New York State employee of 35 years and now with alot of time on his hands.
My friend Walter (telling me to "BUZZ OFF")
I on the other hand, am self employed and owner of
Shenise Productions, LLC, a video production company located in the
Capital Region of New York, Albany.
I'm posing with my HD Broadcast Camera
We both enjoyed taking our spouses to outdoor events held throughout the Capital Region and always took notice of, and sampled, the many food vendors and how well they seemed to be doing. The idea of serving some type of food to the public was appealing but we couldn't decide on
what made the most sense.
It wasn't until late November 2007 that I caught a story by Bill Geist on CBS Sunday Morning about Hot Dog University that I realized the possibilities. I immediately called Walter to discuss what I had just watched and proceeded to convince him that we needed to go to Milwaukee because:
1. We needed a road trip.
2. Was Hot Dog U the answer to our dreams?
3. The Miller Brewing Company would be a great side trip.
So we made plans to attend Hot Dog U in the Spring.
To this day I think it was the side trip to the Miller Brewing Company that sold Walter on the whole idea!
Walter in a state of "Beer Nirvana" I finally found paradise
"Which way to the men's room?"
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Nipper's Hot Dogs at Monument Square, Troy, NY, Summer 2008
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Vienna Beef was founded in 1893 when Austria-Hungarian immigrants Emil Reichel and Sam Ladany introduced their family frankfurter recipe to their fellow Chicagoans at the legendary
Columbian Exposition.
The hot dog was a hit, and Vienna Beef was born.
1893 Chicago World's Fair
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It was a "no brainer" to offer an authentic "Chicago Style" hot dog. A decision that has brought us customers from all over the Capital Region who can't get a "Chicago Style" hot dog anywhere else in New York State. Walter & I have developed a loyal following and folks will drive from many miles away to devour one or two of our NIPPERLICIOUS Vienna Beef hot dogs.
A "Chicago Style" hot dog
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Watch the CBS Sunday Morning Story
~Click on the TV~
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Never Put Ketchup on a Hot Dog
Author: Bob Schwartz |
Publisher: Chicago's Books Press
Hardcover: $37.50 Soft Cover: $27.50
208 pages with 250+ illustrations
This book is an insider's view of a love of hot dogs— eating them, selling them, and talking about them. First time author, Bob Schwartz, a Senior Vice President at Vienna Beef, has spent the last third of a century developing and enhancing strong emotions for the business and for the people who operate hot dog stands. The book includes detailed stories about a long list of hot dog stands located in Chicago and surrounding suburban areas, as well as stands located across the country.
The one thing that all those businesses have in common is that they serve or served Chicago-style hot dogs to their many, and devoted, customers. It is important to remember that everyone who grew up eating hot dogs at those stands, especially in their own neighborhoods, knew the one “rule” about putting condiments on a Chicago-style wiener—NEVER PUT KETCHUP ON A HOT DOG!
This book is filled with countless tales about memorable stands and personalities, the people who made the “dogs,” and those who delivered the product. It is such a compelling book that, once you pick it up, you won’t be able to put it down until you race over to your favorite stand for a delicious, mouth-watering, hot dog! | 
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