Really, all Seth Tompkins and Jared Lawton wanted to do was sell hotdogs to college kids at bar close.
“You know, we’re guys in our thirties,” says Tompkins, “and we wanted to pretend we were still in our twenties. We figured the best place to do that would be
East Lansing.”
So Tompkins, a Michigan State graduate, looked into obtaining a concessioner's license from the city. When the business hours allowed by the permit wouldn’t allow for their dream of two am hotdogs to come to fruition, they improvised.
The result was
What Up Dawg?, East Lansing’s newest eatery on M.A.C. that pairs “dawgs” and beer - most of which are Michigan-made.
“And hotdogs and beer go together really well,” says Tompkins “They re the Oreos and milk of sausages.”
The goal was to keep the concept simple and the food high quality, so the Dawg partners began with stocking such regional favorites as Koegel sausages, Faygo, Better Made chips and locally-grown potatoes and toppings.
Those toppings vary from relish to bacon to barbeque sauce. The ordering process in the 1,300 square-foot restaurant is deli-style, with the customer’s pick of ingredients.
What Up Dawg? opened in mid-February with 12 employees and has already gotten involved in community events. The eatery has partnered with local fraternities and non-profits on events and fundraisers.
Source: Seth Tompkins, What Up Dawg?
Writer: Natalie Burg, News Editor
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