Spike's Junkyard Dogs in Allston Is Closing

A pair of hot dog places will soon be down to just one, as their Boston outlet is shutting down.

According to multiple sources, Spike's Junkyard Dogs in Allston is closing, with a tweet from @daniel_fidler showing a note posted at the Brighton Avenue spot that says Spike's will not be renewing its lease and that it plans to close on September 24. The note does refer customers to the Spike's location in Warwick, RI, so that outlet will remain in operation.

The slogan for Spike's--whose Allston location first opened 20 years ago--is "World's Best Hot Dog, Maybe Better," with the hot dogs being all beef and served on freshly-made soft French rolls.

The address for Spike's Junkyard Dogs in Allston is 108 Brighton Avenue, Allston, MA 02134. The website for Spike's is at https://spikesjunkyarddogs.com/

[September 26 update: Based on its social media, Spike's in Allston is now closed.]

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

---

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

---

NOTE: Leslie Hurwitz, who is the father of Marc (the founder of this site) is currently dealing with health issues and needs your help. Please donate if you can at https://gofund.me/76d8ba28, thanks!

Windy City Eats in Weymouth Has Closed; Windy City Dogs in Norwell Remains in Operation

A dining spot on the South Shore that was known for its Chicago-style hot dogs has very quietly shut down, though its second location remains open for business.

According to one of our readers, Windy City Eats in Weymouth is no longer in operation, with a Facebook post from the place confirming this, saying that it shuttered this fall because the two stores were "a little much to operate." The post refers customers to its Windy City Dogs location on Washington Street in Norwell.

Windy City Eats first opened in the summer of 2008, offering Chicago dogs along with Italian beef sandwiches, burgers, and more; Windy City Dogs opened its doors in Norwell in the fall of 2012.

The address for this now-closed eatery in Weymouth was: Windy City Eats, 407 Middle Street, Weymouth, MA, 02189.

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

---

[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Sandwiches from Restaurants in the Boston Area and Elsewhere in New England]

---

Tweet

Spike's Junkyard Dogs and Stack-a Burger in Burlington Have Closed

A Rhode Island-based group of hot dog places whose slogan is "World's Best Hot Dog, Maybe Better!" continues to shrink, with one of its Boston-area locations closing--along with a burger concept from the spot.

Based on a Twitter picture that was posted late last week, Spike's Junkyard Dogs and Stack-a Burger at the Burlington Mall are both shuttered, with a message sent from one of the other Spike's locations telling us that they believe it may have closed last Monday. The Burlington location of Spike's is one of a few that have closed over recent years, including stores in Boston's Back Bay, Somerville's Davis Square, and Fall River.

Locations of Spike's Junkyard Dogs that remain open include shops in Allston and North Attleboro, along with Providence, Cranston (which is where their headquarters are), and Warwick, RI, and Groton, CT. Their website can be found at http://www.spikesjunkyarddogs.com/

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

---

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

---

Tweet

Boston Hot Dog Company in Salem Is Open Once Again

A hot dog place on the North Shore that closed a few months ago after being in business for 10 years has reopened.

According to one of our readers, Boston Hot Dog Company in Salem is open once again, with a check on its Facebook page and website confirming this (it appears that the Washington Street eatery reopened on Tuesday). The dining spot had shuttered in March with no reason given, though there was speculation that the closing of the nearby District Court may have affected its business.

Boston Hot Dog Company offers franks with a variety of toppings as well as veggie dogs, gluten-free dogs, sausages, chicken salad and tuna salad rolls, and baked beans.

The address for this reopened hot dog spot in Salem is: Boston Hot Dog Company, 60 Washington Street, Salem, MA, 01970. Its website can be found at http://www.bostonhotdog.co/

[Earlier Article]
Boston Hot Dog Company in Salem Has Closed

Tweet

Spike's Junkyard Dogs in Boston's Back Bay to Close; Operations Being Consolidated to Allston

A Rhode Island-based group of hot dog places is going to be closing its Back Bay location in Boston and moving its operations to another shop nearby within the city.

According to a press release, the local franchisee and operator of Spike's Junkyard Dogs on Boylston Street is selling the restaurant to Zest Mediterranean, LLC, with the eatery remaining open through June 1. Operations will then be consolidated to the Spike's location on Brighton Avenue in Allston, according to the release.

In addition to hot dogs, Spike's Junkyard Dogs also offers salads, burgers, chicken sandwiches, wings, and tenders. Other Spike's locations can be found in Burlington, North Attleboro, Providence, Cranston, Warwick, and Groton, CT.

The address for the soon-to-close Spike's in the Back Bay is 1076 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02115; the address for the Allston location is 108 Brighton Avenue, Allston, MA, 02134. The website for all locations can be found at http://www.spikesjunkyarddogs.com/

Tweet

Boston Hot Dog Company in Salem Has Closed

One of the Greater Boston area's relatively few hot dog places has closed its doors.

The Salem News is reporting that Boston Hot Dog Company on Washington Street in Salem has shuttered after being in business for approximately 10 years. The dining spot was a tiny place with counter seating that featured several hot dog options (including vegan/vegetarian dogs) with a variety of toppings offered, and also served sausages and kielbasa as well.

The newspaper speculates that the closing of the nearby District Court may have hurt business at the eatery, though it is not known exactly why Boston Hot Dog Company may have closed.

The address for this now-closed hot dog place in Salem was: Boston Hot Dog Company, 60 Washington Street, Salem, MA, 01970.

---

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

---

Tweet

Spike's Junkyard Dogs in Somerville's Davis Square Is Closing

[Ed note: This article was updated on October 17 and November 27 to reflect new information received.]

It looks like a Rhode Island-based group of hot dog places will be closing its location in one of the busiest parts of Somerville, though no official confirmation has been given as of yet.

A post on the Eater Boston site indicates (via a Somerville News legal notice) that the space where Spike's Junkyard Dogs is at 217 Elm Street in Davis Square is apparently going to be taken over by The Painted Burro, a Mexican restaurant that resides next door (at 219 Elm Street) and is looking to expand. Some chatter on the Davis Square LiveJournal page includes one poster who says that "from what I hear, Spikes was already closing. It wasn't so much that Painted Burro is aggressively taking over, as they found out that Spikes was leaving and jumped on it....This is from talking to bartenders at Burro, not from any official announcement."

The hearing for The Painted Burro's expansion plans took place last night, so expect some updates to come out shortly.

[October 17 update: It appears more and more likely that Spike's is indeed closing their Somerville location, as The Painted Burro has responded to a question on their Facebook page about whether they will be expanding into the Spike's space with "That's the plan!"]

[October 17 update #2: Grub Street Boston is reporting that The Painted Burro is planning to open The Burro Bar as part of their expansion into the Spike's space, with the bar having the same dinner menu as The Painted Burro while the weekend lunch menu will have tortas and Mexican sandwiches. Expect The Burro Bar to be ready sometime this winter.]

[November 27 update: An email from Spike's indicates that its Somerville location will indeed be closing, with its last day of operation being this Friday (November 30). The note mentions that folks who visit Spike's in Somerville over the final few days will be given a coupon for a free hot dog or veggie dog that may be redeemed at either their Allston or Back Bay location.]   

In addition to its Somerville location, Spike's Junkyard Dogs can also be found in Allston, Boston's Back Bay, Burlington, North Attleboro, Providence, Cranston, Warwick, and Groton, CT. Their website is at http://www.spikesjunkyarddogs.com/


Tweet

Speed's Hot Dogs Is Looking to Expand

After a couple of stops and starts, it looks like a landmark hot dog wagon in the Newmarket Square section of Boston is going to try to expand once again.

According to their Facebook page, Boston Speed's Famous Hot Dog Wagon is "looking for a investor for a new truck or two," though no further details have been given. In late 2010, it was reported that Speed's had been planning to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston, and last June it appeared that the hot dog place was going to open a new cart across the street from Gillette Stadium (which is home to the New England Patriots and the New England Revolution) in Foxboro, but neither place opened. It could be possible that the Foxboro plans may be back on track once again since the owner of Speed's is looking for at least one new truck, but that is only speculation at this point, so keep checking back for updates.

[March 26 update: The Boston Business Journal reports that the owner of Boston Speed Dog is indeed looking to get a second truck, and he is also planning to take his existing truck to various sites around Boston as part of the food truck pilot program. The article mentions that starting April 1, the hot dog wagon will be found at the following sites: Monday--Copley Square (Boston Public Library), Tuesday--Chinatown (across from RMV), Wednesday--City Hall Plaza, Thursday--Financial District (Milk Street), and Friday--Fenway (Hemenway Street). Hours will be 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM except for Wednesday, when it will be at City Hall Plaza from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM.]

The address for the original Speed's is: Boston Speed's Famous Hot Dog Wagon, 54 Newmarket Square, Boston (Roxbury), MA, 02118. Their website can be found at http://www.bostonspeeddog.com/

Tweet

Spike's Junkyard Dogs and Stack-a Burger Opening at the Burlington Mall

A Rhode Island-based group of hot dog places that has three locations in the Boston area is getting ready to open a fourth spot near the city, and this one will be partnering with a new burger spot.

According to a job post within the Craigslist site, Spike's Junkyard Dogs is planning to open at the food court within the Burlington Mall, while an earlier Burlington Patch article mentions that the eatery will be teaming up with a brand new spot called Stack-a Burger. The new burger concept will focus on inexpensive quality burgers, with customers being able to stack as many patties as they wish on a bun. An array of toppings will be available, and curly fries, salads, and salad wraps will also be offered, as well as a breakfast menu. Spike's Junkyard Dogs will feature everything offered at their locations in Boston's Back Bay, Allston, and Somerville's Davis Square, including all-beef hot dogs served with a variety of toppings.

The Craigslist post states that the new Spike's Junkyard Dogs and Stack-a Burger may be opening in a couple of weeks.

[December 21 update: According to the Burlington Patch, the new Spike's Junkyard Dogs and Stack-a Burger are now open in Burlington.]

In addition to its three locations in the Boston area, Spike's Junkyard Dogs can also be found in North Attleboro, Fall River, Providence, Cranston (which is where their headquarters are), Warwick, and Groton, CT. Their website is at http://www.spikesjunkyarddogs.com/

Tweet