CLEVELAND — On Monday, the iconic Old Fashion Hot Dog sign that pointed the way to the beloved restaurant at West 41st and Lorain Avenue, was brought down.
However, the sign isn't disappearing into history just yet.
Old Fashion Hot Dogs officially closed in March after 92 years in business when the property’s landlords announced they had other plans for the building.
Opened in 1928 as the Hot Dog Inn by Emmanouel "Mike" Vasiliou, it became Old Fashion Hot Dog when the Sorma family took over the cash-only grill in 1987.
COVID-19 cut short the Sorma’s final days at the diner. “A beacon of the neighborhood has come to an end,” acknowledges owner Tom Sorma. “We’re proud to have been a part of this iconic eatery and happy that its legacy will live on the memories of our friends, family and customers.”
Upon hearing that Old Fashion Hot Dog was closing, shopkeepers at a nearby nearby vintage and consignment furnishings and collectibles store made an offer to help keep the restaurant's legacy alive.
“Even though Old Fashion Hot Dog was only 360-square-feet, it occupies sizable space in the hearts of generations of Northeast Ohioans,” says Tim Yanko, who along with Dwight Kaczmarek, owns 'All Things for You.'
So now, the Old Fashion Hot Dog street sign soon will be reinstalled inside of All Things for You. “We wanted to preserve a piece of this community’s history,” says Yanko. “Fans will be able to stop in, see the sign and share their frankfurter-and-cheese-fries-fueled stories with us.”
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