By Rebecca Cross
As I walked into Bryon’s Hot Dog Stand I was greeted with a smile and a friendly hello. I ordered my hotdog with “everything” (homemade Chili, mustard and onions) and a drink and sat down at a table in the back of the restaurant. I felt very welcome and comfortable in this quaint country store setting with vintage signs on the walls and fresh flowers on the tables, and I was equally satisfied with the delicious food!
Bryon and Stacey Hickman were born and raised here in Elizabeth City and opened their hot dog stand in August of 2009. Now almost a year later, they are selling an average 200 hot dogs a day and couldn’t be happier. Bryon wanted a feel of a hot dog stand where people can come in and get a good quick lunch, and, they could run it by themselves. Their objective was to keep the menu simple so that everything they offer is fresh and homemade daily. They also want people to feel comfortable when they come in. “Many people say they love the atmosphere. The atmosphere is just as important as the ingredients on the hot dog!” said Stacey. It is evidently true now that they have regular repeat customers coming in to eat 3 or 4 times a week. They have even been named the “Home of the Hick Dog” which is a play on their last name with a special spicier/hotter hotdog now being offered. But there is more to Bryon’s than just hot dogs… their menu includes homemade chicken salad sandwiches, pimento cheese sandwiches, desserts and a special every Friday that features things like soup, chili, chicken pot pie and taco salad. You can still find a fountain drink with crushed ice or even buy a Moon Pie!
The Hickmans really like being a part of the downtown historical part of Elizabeth City. They used to stroll down Main Street when their boys were small and now their restaurant location is the perfect fit of an “old country store feel” that they were looking for. Stacey said that the people of downtown are so nice and that it feels like a family. “Everyone supports each other and look out for one another,” she stated. Their place certainly is family friendly - from the kid-friendly food and low prices, to the kind of music played on the radio – all is planned to be a good safe place for kids as well as adults. One of the sources of regular business for the Hot Dog Stand is now The Center Players, an acting group of kids at AOA, who come over to eat every afternoon when they are practicing for their plays. The Hickmans call them “their kids” and have supported and attended the Players performances. “It is a nice community connection and we look forward to seeing them,” said Bryon.
Hours: M-F 10am – 4PM, Saturday 10AM – 2PM, Closed Sunday; 110 N. Poindexter Street, 252-331-2986