The last drive in restaurant in western Clark County closed more than a year ago, but on a bright sunny day I find myself wishing it would open again.
Well — my wish has come true.
New Carlisle’s Wot-A-Dog is back. Really. After being closed for the summer of 2015, Wot-A-Dog is reopening this week just south of town on Route 235.
I didn’t believe it at first until I had a conversation with Brian Swann, who recently acquired a three-year lease to buy the property at 603 S. Main St. in New Carlisle.
“We have every intention of buying this business,” said Swann who is looking forward to running this business with his wife, Kristi, and watching their four children grow up in this community.
Swann grew up here himself. After graduation from Tecumseh in 1993, he studied culinary arts at a school in Chicago and expanded his skills working in the culinary business since then. Since 2013 has managed a wood-fired mobile pizza oven in Troy.
I asked if there would be any big changes at Wot-A-Dog.
“We are going to maintain 80 percent of the original menu,” Swann said.
He reassured me that there will still be root beer in iced mugs and coney dogs.
He is excited about keeping traditional favorites and making some improvements like using all-beef hot dogs.
Swann said that the thing that excites him the most about this opportunity is the incorporation of food from local businesses and fresh farm produce purchased locally. He wants to spotlight the wonderful food grown and produced here.
That additional 20 percent of new items on the menu will be ever changing with weekly and daily specials. This young chef hopes to wow patrons with specialty items they never expected to find in a small town.
Swann is interested in knowing what the community wants and has asked for suggestions on the Wot-A-Dog Facebook page. He said some of the new items were requested by locals.
The car hops will be taking orders and delivering food as always. Although it was suggested, the car hops won’t be wearing roller skates. That insurance was too expensive, he explained.
Good news for the community is that approximately a dozen part-time employees have been hired. And Swann is still looking for a line cook.
The traditional Monday cruise-ins will begin again on the first Monday after the restaurant opens.
Hours will be expanded to 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. More outdoor seating and tables will be added over the summer. If weather cooperates Swann would like to keep Wot-A-Dog open as long as 10 months out of the year.
“Follow us on social media,” said Swan. “We hope to have our own app.” Currently Wot-A-Dog has a website, wot-a-dog.com and is on Facebook. Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter should follow. Some of the announcements of weekly specials and lunch specials (from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) will be on social media.
In addition to social media, the business will still have the land line phone 937-845-3663 for orders and to ask about those specials.
It’s nice to know that in some ways the good old days are here again.
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