By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org
While many are looking at how to reopen their business, Andy Bogart and his business partner Matt Morton are investing in the future with a very familiar food item: the Pronto Pups.
“I just paid for the truck today,” said Bogart during a phone interview on April 28 about the new Pronto Pups Grand Rapids food truck. “I really believe that after all this and the shutdown, food trucks are going to be more in demand than ever because they can accommodate the social distancing requirements.”
That and the fact that the Pronto Pup is such a legend in the area, had Bogart, who is from the Grandville/Wyoming area and his partner, Morton, who lives in Kentwood, decide to make the jump into the food truck business.
“I saw the food truck at an event I was at and I always honestly thought it was just a Michigan thing,” Bogart said. “I never knew it was actually a national chain based out of Portland, Oregon.”
For many area residents, including Bogart, Pronto Pups is associated with Grand Haven where one of the most famous — and the longest running — stands featuring the popular batter-dipped dog on a stick is located. Opened in 1947, the Grand Haven Pronto Pup is located off the waterway on Harbor Drive, and its reputation has people driving miles and standing in long lines to get one of the famous Pronto Pup dogs.
But Bogart, who also owns the food delivery service Five Star Food Express, had seen Pronto Pups in East Tawas, Michigan, located off of Lake Huron, where he camped with family. After seeing the Pronto Pups truck, Bogart started doing some research on Pronto Pups and discovered it is a national phenomenon.
The story is that husband and wife team George and Versa Boyington created the speciality dog in the late 1930s. The couple ran a small hot dog stand at Rockaway Beach, Oregon, located west of Portland near the Pacific Ocean. When a rainstorm came, the hot dog buns would be ruined becoming wet and soggy. George Boyington came up with the idea of cooking a “bun” as needed. He created a pancake batter based mix and the duo came up with the Pronto Pups formula used today. According to the Pronto Pups website, by 1941 the Boyington’s invention had become a nationwide hit.
Pronto Pups are a highlight at the Minnesota State Fair and the original Pronto Pups stand is still located in Rockaway Beach, which boosts to be the home of the world’s largest corndog and the first riding mechanical corndog. The Oregon-based Pronto Pups company still specializes in providing everything to make a Pronto Pup along with other carnival and amusement park food supplies such as cotton candy and other fry items such as onion rings.
Pronto Pups Grand Rapids is a separate franchise and is not affiliated with the Grand Haven location. The Pronto Pups Grand Rapids will be serving the Greater Grand Rapids area and Kent County, along with going into other areas such as Greenville. The Pronto Pups Grand Rapids truck will feature the Pronto Pup along with Pronto Pups with a twist such as with cheese or jalapeños. Other menu items may include gourmet hot dogs, vegan hot dogs, brats, and walking tacos.
“It is really cool to be able to bring back a childhood memory of when you use to go to the fair and get a corndog,” Bogart said.
Bogart estimates that it will still be another 45 days until the truck is fully operational. During that time, he has been working to build a client base and recently joined the Grand Rapids Food Truck Association. He said he also has been looking at festivals and events to bring the truck and hopes one location will be the City of Kentwood’s annual End of Summer Food Truck Festival, which is usually in the fall.
Until then, Pronto Pup aficionados will have to follow the Pronto Pups Grand Rapids progress on its Facebook page.
