Original Hot Dog Shop Appears To Have Permanently Closed

PITTSBURGH, PA - The iconic Original Hot Dog Shop, an institution at the center of the Uinversity of Pittsburgh campus for 60 years, appears to have shut its doors for good.

Social media exploded over the weekend over the fact that the restaurant had been emptied out amid the coronavirus outbreak. There is no mention of a permanent closure on the eatery's Facebook page and website, and its phone number has not been disconnected; however, a longtime manager told the Pitt News that the O would not be reopening.

Messages left at the restaurant over the weekend were not returned.

Founded by Syd and Moe Simon, the restaurant opened across the street from Forbes Field during the Pittsburgh Pirates 1960 World Series Championship season. Over the years, the two-story eatery was featured on various TV programs such as The Food Network’s "Unwrapped," the PBS special "A Hot Dog Program" and others.

Moe Simon died April 9. It's unclear if his death had anything to do with the apparent closure.