Obituary: The Unfortunate Passing Of Brooklyn Hot Dogs
It is our joyless responsibility to report the passing of Brooklyn Hot Dogs, a long-time and gentle Gowanus neighbor located at 149 9th Street (between 2nd and 3rd Avenues).
While the official time of death cannot be confirmed, co-owners Nanne Tavarez and Bill Nieves closed down late August but didn’t share the details. “It was time,” Tavarez said.
Brooklyn Hot Dogs was 17 years old.
The little grill and snack shop on an industrial strip in the Gowanus neighborhood was a destination for area workers as well as the cult fans who enjoyed the warmth and kindness of Nanne and Bill and those who stopped by for a meal or quick snack.
In addition to their namesake, the now-deceased store also served bagels, eggs, knishes, and a slew of other sandwiches.
The building was born in 1957, taking the form of an auto repair shop in a very different Gowanus neighborhood — without inhabitants who would never be harangued for living in Venice and being a Jerko.
Bill re-fashioned the former garage into a storefront during the late 1990s. And there were some delightful secrets about the place.
The owners opened the backyard up to guests who wanted to have a seat outside. Those lucky enough to do so were surrounded by Bill’s metal work.
Nanne was in charge of the kitchen and mastered a mysterious grilling technique which made the hot dogs and chicken sandwiches we once sampled into toasty, smoky goodness. We last sampled their victuals in May of this year.
As much as we enjoyed their food, we recall the small moments of familial generosity. We once saw a local neighbor stop in with her daughter to say hello to Nanne, who in turn gave the little girl a bag of potato chips. That “mom-and-pop-loves-the-neighbor’s-kids-thing” is a throwback to a different time.
The storefront was occasionally — sometimes more often than not — closed during regular business hours. The couple ran the restaurant themselves and told us that if there was a family commitment, they would close down.
In a love letter to Brooklyn Hot Dogs earlier this year, we told Nanne and Bill the following:
“In a Gowanus that is struggling to maintain its quirky, industrial, artistic, polluted identity, you’re the Gowanus O.G. Please stay here forever doing what you do. Some of us simply sleep better knowing you’re around. We prefer nodding off while counting hot dogs, as opposed to counting real estate developers.”
The last time we stopped into Brooklyn Hot Dogs, we made sure to say goodbye to Nanne before heading out the door.
“God Bless You,” she said, as we turned onto 9th Street.
It was the last time we’d go inside.
You will be missed, Brooklyn Hot Dogs. Rest in peace.
You are surely in hot dog heaven now.