A TASTE OF HISTORY
WILLIE MAE GRIFFIN HAWKINS
IN 1939 MISS WILLIE MAE GRIFFIN HAWKINS AND HER HUSBAND STARTED UP A LITTLE HOT DOG STAND ON THE CORNER OF CENTRAL AND MAIN IN DOWNTOWN CHATTANOOGA. THE REGULAR GUESTS THAT STILL VISIT TODAY SAY " SHE WAS A KIND BUT STERN WOMAN AND WELL RESPECTED IN THE COMMUNITY ". MISS GRIFFIN ONLY KNEW ONE WAY TO MAKE A HOT DOG , HER WAY ! SHE TOOK A STEAMY FOOT LONG HOT DOG PLACED IT IN A STEAMED BUN AND TOPPED IT WITH MUSTARD , HOT SAUCE , ONIONS , AND HER FAMOUS SECRET RELISH. SHE DIDN'T ASK YOU HOW YOU WANTED YOUR DOG MADE BUT ONLY HOW MANY.
AS CHATTANOOGA GROWS
AS CHATTANOOGA GREW SO DID THE LEGACY OF MISS GRIFFIN'S FOOT LONG HOT DOGS. THE YEARS PASSED WHILE MISS GRIFFIN'S AND MAIN STREET BECAME MORE CROWDED . MORE AUTOMOBILES AND MORE PEOPLE MEANT THE CITY NEEDED TO WIDEN THE STREETS AND WITH THAT MISS GRIFFIN MOVED FROM HER LITTLE STAND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET INTO THE BUILDING WHERE IT STILL SITS TODAY.
KEEPING THE TRADITION
THROUGH THE YEARS THE TRADITION WAS PASSED DOWN TO A HAND FULL OF OWNERS WHO ALL DID THERE BEST TO KEEP WILLIE MAE 'S FAMOUS HOT DOGS THE SAME. A FEW TOPPING WERE ADDED TO THE MENU THROUGHOUT THE YEARS BUT MISS GRIFFINS SECRET RELISH WAS ALWAYS A STAPLE . IN 2008 THE HYDE FAMILY WAS PASSED THE TORCH AND THE SECRET RECIPE. 2018 MARKS 10 YEARS FOR THE HYDE FAMILY AND LITTLE HAS CHANGED ABOUT THE LITTLE HOT DOG SHOP WILLIE MAE STARTED SO LONG AGO. A TOPPING HERE A TOPPING THERE AND A FEW SWEET TREATS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE MENU BUT THE TRADITION LIVES ON. ITS NOT JUST THE BEST HOT DOG YOU WILL BE TASTING BUT A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY IN EVERY BITE.