After 80 years of slinging its famous Chicago-style dogs, an iconic California hot dog restaurant has closed its doors for good.
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Indeed, it’s a sad day for weiner lovers. Caspers Hot Dogs closed its Richmond, California, location on May 8. The shop was known for its classic “Caspers with Everything” dog, served on a steamed bun with tomatoes, onions, mustard, and relish.
Manager Eric Strong expressed his sadness at saying goodbye to the shop, which he described as feeling like home for the past 20 years.
“Business has been slow, and it’s just sad,” Strong admitted to PEOPLE. “It’s just the times. I don’t know why, it just has been.”
Strong’s favorite part about working at Caspers was the customers.
“I got a lot of memories, good memories with my customers,” he told the outlet. “They’re fun to make hot dogs for.”
“I just love working here,” he added.
Iconic Restaurant Set to Be Rebranded
But don’t despair, weiner lovers. Caspers Hot Dogs sold its Richmond location to long-time customer and former Richmond City Council member, Cortland “Corky” Booze. Booze plans to reopen the shop as Corky’s Famous Hot Dogs, serving the same beloved menu as its predecessor.
However, it just won’t be the same.
“The new owner is going to retain some [things],” Strong told PEOPLE. “Some people are going to stay, and some people are going to leave. And I’m planning on staying.”
Paul Rustigian, the company’s general manager and grandson of Caspers co-founder Paul Agajan, told the San Francisco Chronicle that the Richmond closure is “bittersweet.”
“We did well in this community and feel proud about what we accomplished,” Rustigian told the outlet.
Caspers Hot Dogs was founded in the Bay Area in 1934 by Agajan and Stephen Beklian. The Richmond shop was the oldest remaining Caspers location, marking the end of an era.
But don’t start hoarding ketchup packets just yet. Hot dog connoisseurs can still get their fix. The Richmond closure follows the shutdown of Caspers’ Hayward C Street location in June 2023, but the chain’s four remaining locations are still slinging dogs in Dublin, Hayward (on Foothill Blvd.), Oakland, and Pleasant Hill.