Photo: Roland Houle
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Roland Houle, the current owner of the Framingham staple Zippity Do Dog, is looking for someone new to take over.
The hot dog stand popped up at the parking lot at 160 Speen St. in 2007. Its top seller, to no surprise, is its namesake: the Zippity Do Dog.
“It's caramelized onions, Coney sauce, a slice of bacon on the grilled hot dog with a little bit of mustard on a grilled roll,” Houle said.
Houle, who originally came from the IT sector, bought Zippity Do Dog seven years ago when he wanted a change of scenery. He just started a new job in IT, so it’s time for someone else to take the reins.
“It's gonna be open until the end of May or I sell it, whichever comes first,” Houle said.
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Houle’s asking for $33,000, but is more concerned with finding someone that will continue the Zippity Do Dog legacy.
“If it's somebody that is really showing an interest in keeping it the way it is, the money isn't the main driver here for me,” he said. “I'm not looking to make top dollar, so I'm negotiable as far as that goes.”
Another key component for Houle is keeping Zippity Do Dog’s pay it forward program alive, which has helped generate hundreds of free meals for those in need. He said a lot of people have been reaching out to buy the shop, but some have been too focused on plans to grow revenue.
“Some of them are like, ‘Oh yeah, I definitely want to keep [the program],’” said Houle. Others are like, ‘Well, I don’t know about that.’ Well, then, it’s probably not the right fit.”
Whoever purchases the shop will also get the access to the original recipes and social media accounts.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Jared Brosnan (@JaredBrosnanWBZ) reports.