Downtown Houghton stand serves up top-shelf weenies

By KELLY FOSNESS, DMG Writer
HOUGHTON — You’ll catch them on delightfully sunny afternoons, serving up hot dogs from underneath the oversized red and yellow striped umbrella. “Hi. What can I getcha?” Mark Panasiewicz questions as a pedestrian approaches his stainless-steel cart parked near the Hellman Center on Shelden Avenue in Houghton. Retrieving an icy cold beverage from a nearby cooler for the young lady and her tail-wagging companion, he assures, “We’re here every Tuesday. Stop and see us again.” His hot dog stand is called Baxter’s Heavenly Dogs, named after his 180-pound St. Bernard, Baxter. Manning the cooking station alongside Panasiewicz is his son, Blake Panasiewicz, 16, who helps dish up a menu of traditional sidewalk fare: hot dogs, brats, chili dogs, pop, water, chips and the hush puppy hot dog. “It’s a homemade yellow, orangish bun (it tastes a lot like a Cheese Nip) with a Vollwerth’s hot dog,” Mark explained. “We make a homemade cheddar cheese bacon mushroom sauce that goes on top.” So far, the response has been good for the $2.50 snack. “They really like it,” Mark said of those who’ve given it a try. Sporting navy blue Vollwerth’s baseball caps, Mark said he likes to help advertise for the company he gets his products from. “We get all of our products from Vollwerth’s because we’re so happy with them,” he said. “They have excellent hot dogs.” Off to the side of the hot dog stand is a table with a lineup of condiments: onions, ketchup, mustard, and, for the bold diner, a bottle of their famous hot sauce. “It’s our very own recipe,” Mark said. “It’s the hottest hot sauce in the world.” Blake said he’s not afraid of dashing more than a few drops on his hot dog on occasion. “It’s good. I really like it,” he said. Mark, of Alston, said this is the first summer they’ve opened the hot dog stand for business. He said the business is owned by his wife, Rebecca, and together they thought it would be a nice addition to the downtown community. Unless it’s raining, Mark said customers can find them at the Hellman Center on Tuesdays, Chutes and Ladders on Wednesdays and Hancock Beach on Thursdays. The hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. “As long as the weather is nice, we’re out,” he reassured. “We’ll pick up extra days in between if it’s nice, too. And, people can give us a call (281-7554).” Mark, who is in his second year at Michigan Technological University, studying psychology, said that he doesn’t consider the hot dog stand his full-time job. “It’s Blake’s,” he said, playfully nudging his son on the arm. Blake’s 12-year-old brother, Lucas, also helps out. Smiling, Blake admits he enjoys serving hot dogs to pedestrians on the street. “I like meeting and talking with people,” he said. Kelly Fosness can be reached at kfosness@mininggazette.com