WS Chronicle

In above photo: Frank Wilson at his hot dog stand in downtown Winston-Salem. (Photo by Nikki Baldwin)

By Nikki Baldwin

For the Chronicle

Mark Flynt, the owner of JS Pulliam Barbeque in Winston-Salem, will be opening another store in the Winston-Salem downtown area at 545 N. Trade St., next to Body and Soul.

It will sell hot dogs, hamburgers and fries but not barbeque.

Pulliam’s hot dogs have been called the best in the South.

When asked to elaborate on why he is choosing to expand now, Flynt said he had been discussing this with his longtime friend Mark Cue (who happens to own the building) for several years about opening another business.

Flynt said Winston-Salem has been doing a good job about revitalizing and felt now was a good time to do it.

One of the owners of downtown Winston-Salem hot dog stand Jazzy Daugs was asked whether they heard about the move and how do they feel about the new restaurant.

“We feel that our business will not be affected by the Pulliam’s restaurant, for our customers will be steady because of the quality of our hot dogs,” said Wayne Vasser of Jazzy Daugs hot dogs, which is located across from CVS downtown at the corner of Trade and Fourth streets.

Queen Tóviea, owner of local hot dog stand Queen Tóviea & Son Famous Franks & Smokies, when asked whether she heard about the Pulliam move, said she had not heard about it. Tóviea, who has been operating her stand for 25 years, believes “God has me and I wish Pulliam good luck on his restaurant.”

She is across the street from the Clark Campbell Transportation Center on Fifth Street.

Another downtown hot dog stand owner, Frank Wilson of Frank’s Frankfurters, when asked about the Pulliam move, said that he had not heard about it.

Wilson said, “I believe my customers will continue to be loyal.”

Wilson elaborated about having heard of Pulliam’s hot dogs because a lot of his customers have eaten them, but they told him that his dogs are better; for he grills his hot dogs and believes his style is working for him.

Wilson said his mission is why he is here.

“I am led by Jesus Christ, and I’m here not to sell hot dogs but to spread the Gospel to the lost,” he said.

He is across from the federal courthouse, near Subway.

The Pulliam’s Barbeque restaurant at 4400 Old Walkertown Road will remain open, Flynt said.

The opening for the new location is planned for mid- to late October.

Flynt is deciding to change his menu at his new location.

When asked why the change up, Flynt said people have been asking about burgers and french fries and admits to not having the room for it at the original location because of limited space.

The Pulliam business has been around in Winston-Salem for 105 years, since 1910, with the current location at Old Walkertown being there since 1938.

Flynt believes that the Pulliam familiarity will help bring in more customers to the new restaurant.

Flynt said, “I hope the customers will continue to grow, for God has blessed me with the customers we have now.”

Flynt, who says he is a people person, likes to meet new people and doesn’t consider the people to be customers.

“I call everybody friend,” Flynt said when talking about how he views his customers. “I realize that if it wasn’t for the customers, then the restaurant wouldn’t be what it was,” Flynt said.

Flynt’s daughter Caitlin, whom he says is a people person along with the rest of the family, will run the new Trade Street restaurant.

Flynt plans to put tree stumps in the alley at his new location, which will sort of duplicate the same atmosphere that is at the Old Walkertown Road location.

Flynt hopes to bring everybody together in the community, and is even thinking about changing the theme at his new location in contrast to his NASCAR theme at his current location.

When asked about the hours of operation, Flynt said that he plans to open Tuesday through Thursday and on weekends only when there are special events going on, such as First Friday Gallery Hops, when downtown shops, studios, and galleries open extended hours.