By Nick Sellers  

Before it opened its first brick-and-mortar location near Publix on Highway 72 in Madison city limits, customers for Steve and Jessica Middlebrooks’ hot dog shop had to brave the elements – hot or cold – to procure offerings from the concession stand, which the Middlebrooks operated south of the highway and across from its present location.

The story behind the popular food kiosk comes from necessity on the Middlebrooks’ part and, before that, a rained-out music festival.

In 2009, while Steve was a general manager of the Cracker Barrel in nearby Athens, Steve and Jessica decided to purchase thousands of dollars in hot dogs to sell at the music festival, which was formerly held in downtown Huntsville every fall and consistently drew attendees that numbered into the 100,000s.

However, Mother Nature threw a monkey wrench into the plans that year.

“We had a lot of hot dogs left over,” Steve said.

So, with Steve’s know-how of the restaurant industry and Jessica’s experience with food supplying, they set out to sell whatever was left of the supplies meant for Big Spring Jam. They set up shop just off of Highway 72 and decided to continue on with the project, gaining loyal customers and generating interest in the area.

Before long, Steve and Jessica were going steady with the stand and picked up a regular gig at Redstone Arsenal with Country Bucket, the name of two sandwich shops owned and operated by the couple.

Steve was able to quit his full-time job with Cracker Barrel before embarking on the Hot Dogin journey in 2010.

“It was a little risky, but it was most rewarding,” he said.

Since opening May 1, Hot Dogin has sought to continue to provide a unique cuisine outlet for the Madison community.

“Huntsville is wide open for a good hot dog,” Steve said.

The restaurant boasts 12 different variations on the “all beef black angus” hot dog, with names like the 5-Alarm Dog, Nasty Dog and Shonuff Dog. Hot Dogin also offers a hot dog made from Vienna beef, which Steve said sets the eatery apart from other area places.

The No. 1 starts customers off with the Classic Dog, which is the typical mustard, ketchup, onions and relish dog. Regional icons, such as the Coney Dog and Chicago Dog, help round out the menu. The Nasty Dog isn’t so disgusting after all, with mustard, chili, cheese and sauerkraut serving as toppings. The Shonuff Dog is indisputably loaded with toppings, including bacon, tomato, chili, cheese, onions, relish and sauerkraut to go along with the standard ketchup and mustard.

Apart from the 12 different hot dogs offered, the restaurant has soups and different sandwiches, in addition to a chicken salad that Steve said is highly praised.

“If you’ve got a large family, there’s something for everybody,” he said.

Steve said he and his wife, who typically handles the finance side of the business, hope to open franchises in the somewhat-near future in North Alabama.

“Our business is simple – treat people right,” Jessica said.