77 Years of Eddie's Footlong Hot Dogs: The Last Word

I’m at Eddie’s Footlong Hot Dog Stand on Conneaut Lake Road in Meadville. It’s probably as famous as any business in Northwestern Pennsylvania. Just mention Eddie's Footlongs and most people will know what you're talking about. Well, you may know how fabulous the hot dogs are here. But do you know the history of this place?

Eddie's Footlongs is a popular and successful hot dog business on the westbound side of Conneaut Lake Road. It's been around for 77 years. Founders Eddie and Winky Johnson never envisioned this kind of business when they first started out. They initially opened a produce stand. They struggled with it. Fortunately, in 1947, a wise old timer gave Eddie some advice that would change Meadville dining history. The current owners, Tim and Christy Johnson, love to tell the story.

"There was an old Greek guy that told him he could always make a penny selling a hot dog. So he decided, 'That's what I'm going to do!'  He started selling hot dogs and that's how it started,” says Tim.

The initial Eddie's Footlongs was located on a plot of land beside its current location. There's a Marquette Bank there now. There were hardships. The hot dog stand had to move to Harmonsburg Road for two years when Conneaut Lake road was being expanded to four lanes in 1958. There were two fires. After the second fire, Eddie and Winky moved to the site to where the business still stands. It now has a busy kitchen, offices, and a gift shop.

"This started out as just a two room cabin basically. That's all that this was,” says Tim.

Eddie and Winky owned the business until 1988 when they sold it to their son Eddie and his wife Jose. Eddie and Jose made a smart business decision in 1991. They switched their hot dog supplier to Smith's Provisions in Erie. In 2001, Eddie’s sold its one millionth footlong since working with Smith's.

"We had a celebration that year. It was fun,” says Christy.

So, how many footlongs has Eddie's sold in all of its 77 years? No one knows for sure except that it is in the millions. Tim and Christy are the third generation of Johnson's to own the hot dog stand. Their children help them in the kitchen. Eddie's Footlongs is a family tradition, not only for the owners, but also for the customers.

"They bring their families back. They bring their children, their grandchildren, and they're all really good about sharing stories with us. So yeah, I think about it and appreciate it every day. So we're so thankful that they continue the tradition with us,” says Christy.

Eddie's Footlongs will close for the season on September 8. However, fans of the footlongs are still able to get that taste of summer during the off-season. Eddie's opened a second location inside the Meadville Downtown Mall 8 years ago. It's been a popular spot for lunch all year 'round.