Hot dog: Michigan State students set to open eatery in downtown East Lansing
EAST LANSING — Louis Azor and Ben Pikus have a simple vision for University Weiner, their takeout hot dog eatery that will open off East Grand River Avenue downtown as Michigan State University students return to campus.
"We just want to be that game day, late-night, quick place where you can get great food and just really have that experience where you feel like you're on Michigan State's campus," Pikus, 21, said.
When the new hot dog joint opens in its smaller than 500-square-foot space on Aug. 19 it will offer a street food-inspired menu near campus, where both Azor and Pikus have been working toward degrees.
"We had the opportunity to really provide, in a sense, a real street-food atmosphere, game-day culture and just East Lansing city life," Azor, 21, said.
Aiming to be East Lansing's hot dog spot
Azor and Pikus met at MSU and the pair have worked together at More Than Vintage, Azor's retail store that opened in May 2022 selling vintage clothing and streetwear at 108 Division St. in East Lansing.
"We decided the next thing we wanted to do was bring food to East Lansing," Pikus said, and a hot dog restaurant made the most sense.
"I mean, it's a super, super nostalgic food that we knew East Lansing didn't have and we wanted to bring that to East Lansing. We want to be the spot that is like East Lansing's hot dog spot. You can get pizza on game days. You can get Mexican food, you can get all sorts of Asian cuisine, burgers but there's nowhere to get that quick bite on game day or late at night."
The space at 551 E. Grand River Ave. is "perfect" for their eatery, Azor said.
"All the equipment that we needed was there," he said, and the eatery will be accessible to the community and MSU's students. "It's still a very prominent location. Once we get our own seating out there, it can really become like our own little corner."
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A simple menu planned
Expect a simple menu at University Weiner, Pikus said.
The plan is to offer about seven different hot dogs, including a plain hot dog on a bun, and the "MAC Ave," a hot dog with covered in bacon, mac 'n cheese and barbeque potato chips. The menu also will include "Weiner On A Stick," a corn dog, and deep-fried Oreos.
Pikus said the restaurant plans to establish partnerships within the community to give back after they open. That includes collecting donations for the Mady Sissoko Foundation, a nonprofit organization established by the Michigan State basketball player to benefit his hometown of Mali in Africa.
"It almost doesn't feel real, but it is real that we're opening this up," Pikus said. "Being a part of the community that we both go to school at is super special."
Follow the restaurant on Facebook at "University Weiner," and on Instagram here.
Contact Rachel Greco at rgreco@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @GrecoatLSJ .
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: MSU students to open hot dog joint in East Lansing
