As the entire world digests the news (with new sponsor Pepto Bismol’s help) that six-time champ Takeru Kobayashi may not participate in the 2010 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest, we review a hot dog competition occurring in our very own neighborhood.  Outside of SoDo, the Pike/Pine Corridor appears to have the highest hot dog vendor density in Seattle.  We learned that this has created tensions among some.

Successful dog vendors on the Hill have been either late night stands and/or aspire to higher end, more gourmet status.  This weekend, though, a day time hot dog cart will begin operating at Cal Anderson called Hot Dogs in Seattle.  We spoke to Vladislav Broyzer, the owner of Hot Dogs in Seattle, who confirmed that he will begin selling the dogs this Saturday around lunch time.  Broyzner will sell New York sourced Sabrett dogs.  Vegetarians/vegans will have tofu and Boca dogs to choose from.  He worries more about whether the weather breaks 70 degrees in the Park, rather than competition from neighboring hot dog vendors.

Of all of the the purveyors that we spoke with, the greatest enmity exists between late night stand Comet Dogs and Monster Dogs.  Earlier this year, Comet Dogs began operating its own dog stand at the Northwest corner of 10th and Pike displacing Monster Dogs from a spot they had occupied for years.  In response, Shawna Morrison, Monster Dog’s owner told CHS  that Monster doubled up (at the Northeast and Southwest corners) of 10th & Pike hoping to drive Comet Dogs out of business.  Though Comet Dogs adopted similar signage, Morrison insists that Monster’s dogs are “bigger and better”.

Javier Lara has not allowed a change in location to alter his optimism.  His hot dog stand was originally located in front of Neighbors.  He had been so successful at that location that he had hoped to open his own restaurant at Broadway and Harrison (the space that Crossroads recently expanded to).  You will now find him and his bling laden, LCD-menu displaying stand at the Shell Station on the Northwest corner of Pike and Broadway.  And, he continues to do well enough at the new location to have plans to open a restaurant one day.  

Rounding out the late night hot dogs is the stand in front of Chop Suey at Madison and 14th .  Helmed by Hamid from Morocco (thanks to commenter kage3000 for providing his name), the stand carries a limited selection of sausage, brats and links but is reputed to be the cleanest and many commend the middle eastern music Hamid plays.  Set further apart from the Pike/Pine corridor than its competition and located on an incline, this stand continues to draw a loyal crowd.

While relations between late night stands become hostile at times, hot dog shops appear to have more congenial relations with each other.  Unicorn is the newest hot dog shop on the Hill, having just opened in January 2010 at 1118 East Pike.  Since its debut, Unicorn has specialized in the corn dog.  CHS Sponsor Po Dog, brought the concept of high end hot dogs to Capitol Hill (topping out at $6.85 per dog) at 1009 East Union, and recently introduced a corn dog of its own at $5.25.  

We asked Adam Heimstadt, one of Unicorn’s co-owners for a comment on Po Dog’s move.  “it doesnt bother me at all , what we do I feel is very different from the rest of the other tube steak/street meat slingers”.  Similarly, Laura Olsen, Po Dog’s owner seemed unconcerned with the competition:  “As for additional hot dog purveyors? Who doesn’t love a sausagefest! The wiener is America’s meat and I say the more the merrier!” 

The most established hot dog shop on the Hill (arguably on First Hill) is Cyber-Dogs Internet Cafe.  Its name alone may signal its vintage, having been established in 2002 by laid off software engineer, Tatiana ’Tania’ Harrison.  Cyber-Dogs is nestled in a very unique location (in a former closet of the Washington State Convention Center) at 909 Pike Street and serves exclusively vegetarian/vegan dogs.  It draws its customers from a different pool than other hot dog vendors on the Hill,  straddling the border between Downtown Seattle and Capitol Hill and located in the Convention Center.

 Hot Dog purveyors on the Hill seem to believe in friendly, respectful competition, with the notable exception of the Hatfield/McCoy feud happening between Monster Dogs and Comet Dogs.  Unlike in boxing, going to their respective corners has failed to pacify these pugilists.