Roadside Stand Cools Hot Dog Days of Summer

Driving from one side of Washington Township to another takes time. The municipality’s roads span some 45 square miles.

In that time, a motorist can become quite hungry, thirsty, and may be looking for a food oasis in what seems to be a rural desert of winding roads.

Now, the search can officially end.

In its sixth week of operation under Chris Stahl and his uncle, Larry Klein, The Dog Pound hot dog truck has become a daily fixture in the parking lot of the former , across the street from

The truck started out as a cart, but the expansion to a more mobile, one-stop device has proven to a bigger draw that can carry more inventory.

“There are ebbs and flows, like any restaurant,” Klein, a professional chef said about the early success of the business. “But we’re starting to crawl and hope to expand.”

The truck is available weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Stahl said, and knew from the start it was all about location.

“(Schooley’s Mountain) is obviously a major thoroughfare, and we knew this would be a good spot,” Stahl said. “We’re hoping it grows even more when school starts and more people are in town.”

Workers, horseback riders and retirees alike stopped to grab a bite at the roadside stand Wednesday afternoon just before 1 p.m. Some were first time patrons while others knew what to order without having to peek at the menu.

“Everyone’s loving it,” Stahl said. The stand even gives customers a punch card–buy 10 dogs and get one free.

The mobile hot dog stand offers five different specialty dogs, including a St. Louis, Italian, Chicago, Philly, and New York City style, all with their own homemade trademark toppings.

But don’t worry about heating up on an already hot day, since The Dog Pound offers cold water, Gatorade and an assortment of sodas as well.

While Stahl is less than two months into the venture, he’s looking forward to the fall and hopes to offer customers more seasonal choices when the time comes.

“The date is still to be determined, but we’d like to start having coffee and soups available once the fall comes,” Stahl said. “We love getting feedback from the customers, and if they want something specific, we’re listening.”

Slinging dogs to passersby is just one of the many things The Dog Pound does, though, as the small company is also available for company lunches and picnics, special events, fundraisers and catering.

But for now, the dog days of summer in Washingon Township just got a little more enjoyable.