50 years of Wiener Works: Behind the hot dog empire Fayetteville's 'wiener king' built

Taylor Shook, Fayetteville Observer
·2 min read
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In 1973, Earl Martin opened a hot dog restaurant in Fayetteville on Person Street. But it was his brother, the late William Noble Martin Jr., who would reign as wiener king of Cumberland County for decades.

Martin grew the business into the local chain Wiener Works, an iconic Fayetteville eatery now celebrating 50 years in business.

First established in the Charlotte area as Wiener King when businessman Ron Howard bought several Minnie Pearl Fried Chicken stores, Martin’s brother partnered with Howard to bring the hot dog chain to Fayetteville.

A few years later, Martin was scouting around North Carolina for a place to open a sporting goods store when he visited the Fayetteville Wiener King.

“I dropped by my brother's restaurant,” he told The Fayetteville Observer in 2003. “Ate a hot dog. I was sold.”

Shortly after moving to Fayetteville, Martin opened the second location here on Raeford Road. Ramsey Street and Hope Mills Road locations followed, as well as a Yadkin Road store that has since closed.

Eventually, Martin bought out his brother's shares. In the '80s, the Wiener King franchise that his restaurants operated under dissolved.

The chain became Wiener Works to escape the clutches of a man who had purchased rights to the Wiener King name and wanted to collect royalties for its use.

Martin owned and operated the chain with his wife, Emma Jean, serving millions of regular and foot-long hot dogs over the years. When his wife died in 2013 at 76, the couple’s daughter-in-law Nancy Martin, 63, started keeping the books remotely for the restaurant from the Atlanta home she shared with her husband, William Noble Martin III, 60.

Owners of Weiner Works, William Martin III, his wife Nancy Martin and their son Derek Martin.
Owners of Weiner Works, William Martin III, his wife Nancy Martin and their son Derek Martin.

When Fayetteville’s wiener king William Noble Martin Jr. died at 84 in 2020, the younger Martins, along with their son Derek, 30, moved to Fayetteville to take over the family business.

Her husband left a 35-year corporate career, and her son left graduate school in Tampa to carry the torch.

“We are trying to continue the legacy,” Nancy Martin said Wednesday.

While the current generation of Martins may not have much food service experience, Derek Martin said, they are committed to serving the community with great food at competitive prices, just as his grandfather did.

Foot long hot dog and fries from Wiener Works, a Fayetteville fast food chain of 50 years.
Foot long hot dog and fries from Wiener Works, a Fayetteville fast food chain of 50 years.

The menu has barely changed since the ‘70s, with the same steamed hot dogs, buns, chili and chopped onions that have become synonymous with Wiener Works.

And judging by the steady hum of customers at lunch on Wednesday at the Raeford Road store, William and Emma Jean Martin's son, daughter-in-law and grandson have been successful in serving up nostalgia.

“We consider ourselves a Fayetteville tradition,” Derek Martin said. “We want to keep that going for another 50 years.”

Food, dining and culture reporter Taylor Shook can be reached at tshook@gannett.com, on Twitter, or Facebook. Want weekly food news delivered to your inbox? Sign up for the Fayetteville Foodies newsletter. 

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville hot dog chain Wiener Works celebrates 50 years