What is it About Walter's Hot Dog Stand?

It's a safe assumption that almost everyone in Mamaroneck has heard of Walter's Hot Dog stand.

The family-owned business opened up shop on Boston Post Road in 1919 before relocating, in 1928, to it's current stand on Palmer Avenue across from Mamaroneck High School. Since then, Walter's has become a Westchester landmark and won national acclaim in 2001 as Gourmet magazine's "Best Hot Dog in America."

While Peter Fellows, manager of Walter's Hot Dogs, gave us an inside look at the history of the family-owned business, we had to ask about the Chinese Pagoda architecture of the stand.

"People ask that question a lot," laughed Fellows, "we know that there were very few things here, there was the high school and that was it. Cars used to just pass by on their way home, so we know Walter wanted something that would make people stop and look. There was a Chinese architect that was a friend who suggested this and Walter fell in favor of it".

Walter's Hot Dog Stand just celebrated it's 90th anniversary last year and shows no hints of slowing down. As Walter Warrington's family continues on with the legacy of making the best hot dog in Westchester, the community treats it as part of the family, making it a tradition to be lovingly passed down.

Judy Romeo brought her son, Maximus, to the stand last week for his first frankfurter experience.

"It's his first hot dog and it had to be Walter's."

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