Home Plate Hotdogs a Summer Staple

Home Plate Hotdogs has occupied a grassy spot in Yorkville’s for the past 20 years - although most people probably know it, and more specifically, its owner Jeff Hahn, as “the hot dog guy.”

“I would say most people just say the hot dog stand,” said Hahn recently, as he grabbed a hot dog from his cart to prepare for a customer.  After a friendly, "What can I get for you?" Hahn asks the all important question "plain or poppyseed?" 

During the school year Hahn trades the hot dog stand for a chalkboard at in Yorkville where his is a math and homeroom teacher.

“It’s a little different than teaching. It gets you outside you get to meet lots of people,” Hahn said.  “There’s not a lot of thinking involved. It’s a nice change of pace.”

Hahn heard the hot dog stand was for sale 20 years ago and decided to buy it. 

“Me and another gentleman actually went to be co-owners when we first started and then he moved away and I was left with it,” Hahn said.

The stand usually kicks off the season on weekends during April and May, moving to every day once school is out and remaining open until late August.  Although hours used to range from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day, Home Plate Hotdogs is extending hours until 6 p.m. during weekdays.

Hahn's wife, Pam and his children also help run the stand.

While the weather sometimes causes Hahn to pack up, a recent drizzle and gloom aren’t stopping him. It wasn't stopping the customers either.  Woody Zinke, along with a handful of other customers, braved the dreary weather for one of Hahn’s hot dogs.

“He’s got good hot dogs here,” Zinke said. “Good prices and a good deal even in the rain.”

Hahn says the Chicago style hot dogs are the customer favorite by far. The cart only accepts cash as payment and, in addition to hot dogs, customers can get brats, chips and pop.  Home Plate Hotdogs' special is two dogs, a bag of chips and a pop for $5.50.

His favorite part of the job is simple: “Getting to know people. Knowing what they like on their hot dogs before they’re even in line and having it ready to go. That’s kind of neat. 

"We get people who stop three to four times a week. That’s kind of cool.”