Another hot dog stand reopens at a Home Depot store in Madison Heights

There were a lot of happy and hungry lunchtime shoppers on Monday at the Home Depot store in Madison Heights.

After more than a three-year hiatus, the beloved hot dog stand owned and operated by Rick Kagen for more than two decades reopened at the store on 12 Mile Road.

More: Motz's Burgers, popular for its sliders, opens second location in Redford on Tuesday

Happy hot dog customers included a crew from Sperry Contracting and plenty of Home Depot customers.

“I am super excited about it being back,” said Sperry contractor Jacob Jaster, 31, of Detroit as he grabbed a hot dog he ordered.

More: Eagle, restaurant and bar with 'hype-worthy' fried chicken, opens Friday in Midtown

Sperry Contracting worker Sam Affer, 31, of Detroit experienced the hot dog for the first time.

“It’s absolutely and defiantly convenient,” Affer said.

More: Michigan Stadium adds another longstanding local restaurant: Olga's Kitchen

Kagen said he couldn’t be happier to reopen his “Hotdog Depot” that had been operating since 2000 at the Madison Heights Home Depot.

“The last time I sold a hot dog here was March 17, 2020,” Kagen said. “I love being here and connecting with customers.”

Many customers, said Kagen, a retired IT project manager, are regulars and come just to eat.

“It’s a tradition,” he said. “There’s always room for a hot dog.”

Customers who noticed the stand stopped by to shake Kagan’s hand, welcoming him back and ordering hot dogs.

“I’m totally happy and thrilled that the hog dogs are back,” shopper Joell Ehret, 54, of Madison Heights ordered a plain hot dog with sauerkraut. “I’m here all the time, It’s convenient and I missed it."

Kagen and others had been working for two years to get the stands back.

On a typical Saturday and Sunday, which are the busiest days,  Kagen estimates he’d sell about 250 hot dogs and sausages combined.

Serving the dogs on steamed buns is what Kagen believes sets them apart.

He also connects all the local dots, selling Dearborn brand hots and sausages, Better Made chips and Faygo pop.

For the returning vendors, the hot dog stands needed to be outside of the store, instead of inside at the exit door.

That meant building an enclosed stand and a lot went into bringing it to fruition.  Kagen estimated that it cost $30,000 to $35,000 for the build-out. He had to work with city and county departments to coordinate the building, certifications, approvals and permits.

Kagen’s Hot Dog Depot is the color of mustard and ketchup. The exterior of the stand is red and looks like a miniature house. It has two windows with yellow trim – one for ordering and one near the condiments of relish and chopped onions.

“It’s heated, has air conditioning and a heated floor,” Kagen said. “And we are under cover.”

Around the door and side are flower boxes with artificial flowers. Inside everything is new is all new equipment.

Kagen’s Hot Dog Depot is the second hot dog stand to open this year after being absent for several years at metro Detroit Home Depot stores. On Aug. 1, the first of six planned stands opened at the Home Depot on Coolidge in Troy. At the Troy Home Depot, the hot dog stand, called “Frank’s Again,” is owned and operated by Bill Loizon.

Hot dog stands at Home Depot stores closed in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than a year later, during July's National Hot Dog Month no less, Home Depot announced that the stands would close permanently.

“After the COVID-19 pandemic settled down, we began reaching out to Home Depot,” Loizon said. “I reached to many high-ranking Home Depot people in Michigan and sent an email  asking if this would be a good time to talk.”

Shortly after sending the email, Loizon said he was invited to attend a meeting at a Home Depot office in Livonia.

Kagen also attended.

“I was cautious but starting to get excited about the enthusiasm of returning,” Kagen said.

The Hot Dog Depot at Home Depot in Madison Heights is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily.

“We are here at 9:30 a.m. and by 9:35 people are asking for hot dogs,” Kagen said.

Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Another hot dog stand makes a happy return to a Home Depot store