Me eating a delicious jumbo chili cheese dog from Barker’s hot dog stand
Originally uploaded by rustytanton.
It’s a tough call. If I didn’t have a real job, I’d probably have been at the Capitol trying to blog crossover day yesterday. But having a real job means I’m near the Barker’s hot dog stand at lunch time. Barker’s makes some of the most delicious hot dogs in the city.
UPDATE: Gah, I’ve been had by an impostor! I thought when I saw the cart that I read it as Baker’s, but wrote it off as an unclear font face messing with my eyes. Mind you, it was still a good hot dog, but it apparently wasn’t the real deal. The food service equivalent of Foakleys. Thanks to Glenn Robins, who started the original Barker’s in 1984, for leaving a comment clarifying things. Make sure you read the name on the cart closely.
When I worked at the Georgia-Pacific Building, there’d be a Barker’s stand out on the corner about once or twice a week. Man, but those are amazing hot dogs. What makes ‘em special is how they just beat the hell out of the dog, making it so the grilling and char gets into these irregular grooves. Good stuff.
Gawd. Thinking about the Barker’s at the Arts Center actually makes me miss working in midtown.
So wait, are these something I should try? I’ve never heard of Barker’s before.
You look like a snake unhinging its jaw.
Lush,
Amber beat you to that joke.
Mmmmm. Where is this now? Near the High? I may have to stop by one day on my way home. Is this some kind of stand that’s only open for certain hours?
Garrett,
Yeah, in front of the High. I’m not sure when they close up shop.
I can’t tell if this picture makes me hungry or turned on. Oh well, it’s not the first time the two have been confused in my mind.
This photo should end all confusion.
Rusty and his crazy lack of gag reflex. I miss college.
Hi Rusty,
I have some good news the “Original Barkers Red Hots” is coming back!! I started Barkers as Atlanta’s first licensed hot food vendor in 1984. We started in Woodruff Park downtown and established ourselves as Atlanta’s Best Hot Dog. But because of all the problems associated with vending in the city I had to get out. I sold the business in 1995. The people who bought the cart business changed many things that made us famous including the brand of hot dogs. We sold a special hot dog that was made exclusively for us by a fifth generation family owned meat packer who has been in business since 1869. The new cart owners didn’t pay their bills and the meat packer cut them off. After 12 years I had enough. We have taken our name back and they should no longer be selling dogs under our name. They supposedly have changed their name to Bakers but don’t be confused there is only one Barkers. The good news is we are opening a restaurant on Windy Hill Road near Powers Ferry in the Terraces at Windy Hill shopping Center. We will be opening May 1. Please stop by for an “Original Barkers Red Hot cooked over real charcoal and topped with our famous hot sauce”!!
Best wishes,
Glenn Robins
Fifth-generation meat packer. Huh-huh.
…good God, I hope they have decent pizza in Hell.
Slight correction: The original people who franchised Barkers in Underground Atlanta were only able to purchase the Barkers brand through the franchisor at a huge markup. They were unable to turn a profit due to the high overhead of doing business at Underground Atlanta and the high cost of the hot dogs. In an effort to save the business the franchisees had no choice but to purchase a different brand. Ultimately the business failed, the wife of the franchisee died and the franchisee’s son went on to law school so that future franchisees would not sign poor contracts. The franchisees actually never franchised the cart business. They only purchased a right to sell the brand in Underground Atlanta.
Perhaps there were a second group of franchisees that changed the name. One would have to assume that they also found the task of paying a disturbing markup on the hot dogs a daunting one.
Good luck Glenn. I wouldn’t be an attorney without you. I’ll be sure to stop by and get a Barker’s and a Loganberry the next time I down south.
A few not so slight corrections and additions to Paul III’s comments— Barkers licensed the operators of the Underground operation and the subsequent operators of the carts. Barkers did not franchise either operation. It is an importantlegal distinction that most lawyers understand. I am glad that my lawyer is aware of this. Barkers charged the Underground operators wholesale cost plus the cost of shipping the high quality hot dogs from Buffalo to Atlanta. There was no markup above the transportation cost. The hot dogs used by the Underground operators were sent in the same shipment as the hot dogs used by Barkers on the carts. This reduced the shipping costs to the operators from what they would have been had their shipment been made separately. The underground operators were made aware of all costs associated with their business venture. This included rent at an astronomical rate of $155.00 per square foot. It was costs such as this that made the business so difficult, a fact that was discovered bymany food vendors and other merchants who did not succeed. The operators were given advice and guidance from several sources before committing to the venture. The Underground operators thought that their fortunes would change with a different hot dog and by not using the Barkers name. Barkers voluntarily stepped aside after which the business apparently failed. It is evident that neither the association with Barkers, the use of the Barkers name nor the use of the Barkers hot dog was not the root cause of the Underground operator’s ending their business.
Any assumption about any cost paid by the cart operators is nothing more than an assumption. Gerald III spoke of being an attorney. I am sure that as an attorney, he is aware that assumptions will not get you very far in front of a jury. It is facts that count and there were a shortage of them in his comments.
Anyone associated with Barkers over the years knows of its success. I am happy to set the facts straight. Glenn Robins
I stand corrected and I apologize for any misinformation.
Anyways, take it from me when I tell you that Barkers are by far the best dogs I’ve ever tasted regardless of the costs associated with operating a business related to Barkers (or Underground Atlanta for that matter).
There simply is not a better product!
I am interested in owning a hot dog stand here in Atlanta. Does anyone have any advice for me?
Tara ,
Do you research first before plunking any money down. Talk to the county health department and the city deparment of public saftey . the city of atlanta has some rules of where you can
place your cart and the health department has rule about how the cart should be made IE Sinks potable water ect. Also where you can store and clean the cart. It would be better if you could find some private property to place your cart . That way the city can’t control the size of the cart.
Virgina -Highland would be good .
Buckhead would be great when they finished building it.
There was some street vendors in Buckhead for a few years selling what they called food at night . I looked at the carts and it was NASTY~!
They would ony set up at night with no permit from the health department . I pity the fool that had a belly full of booze and ate somthing from them .
Well I just had a BAKER’s hot dog. It was DELISH…. This is the cart that is set up on P’tree and 15th outside of the Arts/ High Museum… You should all check it out and see for yourselves.
I tried to establish a hot dog stand this year and was advised by the Health Dept (Dekalb Cnty) and by a salesman for Vienna Franks that Georgia no longer allows mobile hot dog stands. They are calling it a moratorium until further notice due to too many unlicensed vendors of too many mobile carts - basically since the Olympics. If you want to sell hot dogs now you have to find a building to sell them out of. Anyone operating a cart had to be licensed before 1989 (I think that was the year they quoted to me) and if they sell said cart, the right to operate does not transfer. It’s a real shame, I just wanted to sell hot dogs and would now have to take out a loan to do it. Long live the all American hot dog!