Fenway Sausage Works in New Bedford, MA

Fenway Sausage Works

Stop number one on the National Hot Dog Month Tour was Fenway Sausage Works in New Bedford, MA. This little trailer located in Custom House Square in Downtown New Bedford operates from 10 PM to 2 AM on Friday and Saturday nights. Owner Cory Hanks also does catering with his portable trailer.

Cory has had his ups and downs in the hot dog business. New Bedford forced him to shut down the day before Easter claiming he was violating an arcane and outdated city ordinance prohibiting mobile food vendors. Rather than pack it in and set up shop in another community, Cory is working to get a more progressive ordinance put in place. He claims he’d rather keep his fledgling operation in his hometown.

He has the support of several members of the New Bedford city council. They showed their support by showing up on the inaugural eve of the 2012 National Hot Dog Month tour. They hope to bring more mobile food operations within their city limits. Cory’s a real “hot dog activist” since he wants to see not only his business, but other mobile vendors as well, thrive in New Bedford.

Half Pound Pearl Frank

Politics aside, Cory is slinging some mighty fine dogs out of his little rig. I brought him some jalapeno Pearl Franks, but my midnight dog was a grilled, half pound, all beef Pearl Frank with chopped bacon, sauteed onions, Dijon mustard and Onion Crunch.

We counted down the seconds until midnight and I chomped my dog at the stroke of twelve, officially starting the National Hot Dog Month Tour. The frank was ridiculous! I couldn’t think of a better way to kick of this year’s tour.

I will be heading back to New Bedford a couple more times this month to sample more of the Whaling City’s hot dog cuisine, but for now, Fenway Sausage Works is top dog!

Enjoy.

The National Hot Dog Month 2012 Tour is brought to you by:

AffiliateTip.com
DreamMaker Hot Dog Carts
Kodak
Onion Crunch
Pearl Meats

About hotdogman

I enjoy traveling and eating hot dogs wherever I am. I like to sample the local variations of America's favorite encased meat and discovering the stories behind the hot dog, the vendor, and the regional preferences. I also write about How to Start a Hot Dog Business, The Hot Dog Truck, The Shark Tank, and I have a personal blog, RobMerlinodotCom

Comments

  1. Bravo Dawgs says

    Nice kick-off guys!!!!

  2. That sounds like an amazing hot dog. I was sitting at work at midnight jealous of not being able to be out there on the tour opener. I also anxiously awaited the updates and video. Good luck to Cory!

  3. Jim Gouveia says

    Before you jump into the local politics of hot dogs, let me enlighten you hotdogman. Have you stopped to consider who those “arcane and outdated city ordinances” might be protecting?

    I own and operate a hot dog business located not even a block and a half from where Cory sets up (on city property– which is still against ordinances), and I am open pretty much the same hours as Cory (11pm-2:30am) in addition to my lunchtime hours. Recently, another hot dog place opened up two blocks away from me in the other direction! We have had a business downtown for over 30 years and in New Bedford for 50 years. The city councilors, as well as your website, should do more to protect businesses like mine and not just promote a free-for-all cutthroat environment for business.

    • hotdogman says

      Jim I do understand your point of view, but food trucks and food carts are a reality businesses must deal with. There are plenty of “gypsy” units operating in New Bedford and many other cities. Cory is trying to do the right thing, rather than be a fly by night operation. A guy selling hot dogs out in front of an auto parts store isn’t a threat to anyone’s business, unless there is something fundamentally wrong with that business. I visit plenty of “brick and mortar” shops in my travels too, and I wouldn’t want anyone setting up down the street from me if I owned one. In a city the size of New Bedford, there is a place for mobile food- the city needs to figure out where and how.

      • Jim Gouveia says

        Hotdogman I do appreciate your point of view, and I really do wish Cory the best of luck. This issue shouldn’t have to become some sort of a turf war between Cory and me (or anyone else for that matter), and the City Council should be doing everything in its power to find a solution acceptable to all parties involved. This city is plenty big and there’s no sense in oversaturating any market–what’s preventing someone from opening up right next to Cory once he’s got something good going as a result of his hours of hard work trying to promote a new business and build a clientele?

        As it stands now, it seems as though some members of City Council are cooking up something rather distasteful to those of us in this industry and I have the feeling that both Cory and I will be dealing with their best efforts to force-feed it to us.

        • Jim, i am in no way a fan of cutting throats, and it has never been my intention to kill brick and mortar businesses with my trailer. I have been advocating to make food trucks and trailers to be at least allowed to operate in the city of New Bedford. With their current ordinances, which i know front to back, i am allowed to operate on public property in a standing location from June 1st to September 30th. I admire businesses like yours that have stood the test of time. I would like to maybe talk with you in your store one day, and give you the human side of me, and let you know what i am trying to accomplish with a potential food truck ordinance passage. I think that after we speak, you will feel more at ease. I understand where you are coming from, but i think that the brick and mortar establishments need to know where i am coming from also, and the only way that can happen is if we can talk it out like gentlemen. Jim, this is my cell phone: (508)989-6500, call me and let me know when a good time to meet you at your store would be. Thanks for your feedback, and i hope to hear from you soon. Cory Hanks…..

          • hotdogman says

            Corey why don’t you come with me when I visit him- we could have a New Bedford hot dog summit!

  4. Rob, when are you supposed to visit Jim at his place? i would like that!

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