Hot Doug's Book in the Works, Wants Your Memories

With people getting Hot Doug's logos tattooed on their body for free food for life, there's no question the encased meat emporium has a huge following. And now you can share your love for Hot Doug's without getting inked: Hot Doug's is publishing a book and owner Doug Sohn wants your help.

Hot Doug's: The Book, set for a spring 2013 release, will be a "little bit of the history of the store, but more of a feeling about what I love about the restaurant, the community feeling, so many regulars, people who travel far and wide to eat here," Sohn told Eater. But after more than a decade of doling out dogs, Sohn needs your memories, too.

Sohn said he'd been approached over the years by a number of publishers to do a book, but said he avoided it because "it lends legitimacy to the restaurant." But now that people tend to line up day after day for upwards of 30 minutes before even ordering, it's pretty obvious its a bonafide destination. So he agreed to work with local outlet Agate Publishing where, not surprising, one of the editors is a Hot Doug's regular.

Sohn is asking that people send in their memories—writings, poems, drawings, photos—to HotDougsTheBook@gmail.com or via the Facebook page. Send in anything, as Sohn said the more people submit, "The less work I have to do! The three most important words will be, 'as told to?'" At the end of the day, Sohn can't believe the business has been around for as long as it has. "We've been at this location for about seven years, in business for about 11, which is about a year more than I gave it," he said. "To be honest, I gave it about six months."
· Hot Doug's: The Book [Facebook]

Doug Sohn [Photo: Facebook]