Founder of Superdawg remembered as honorable, hardworking

The family of Maurie Berman, who died Sunday at age 89 from heart problems, is remembering him as an honorable, creative, hardworking man whose legacy can be seen in every aspect of his Superdawg Drive-In restaurants in Chicago and Wheeling.

Scott Berman, Maurie's oldest son, said virtually every aspect of the restaurants were his father's design, including kitchen equipment, custom food boxes, and even the giant hot dog statues on the roof.

"It was his work, his passion and his hobby all rolled into one," Scott Berman said.

Laurie Drucker, Maurie's daughter, said her father loved the restaurant and could be found there most days over the last 67 years. But he was not alone; joining him nearly every day was his wife Flaurie Berman.

"They embarked on this life together," Laurie Drucker said. "She was a schoolteacher before, so he always said 'I took mom out of a school room and into a hot dog stand."

The two worked side by side for 67 years, at around 100 hours a week, 362 days a year, Laurie Drucker estimated. Maurie, a World War II veteran, and Flaurie opened the original Superdawg as a summer-only hot dog stand while both were attending Northwestern University in Evanston. After graduation, they liked the restaurant business enough that they operated it full-time.

Laurie Drucker said for a time her parents were the only employees, but when they finally were able to hire staff they were treated more like family. And of course, Maurie and Flaurie's actual family soon became employees as well. Now Scott Berman and Laurie Drucker, along with their spouses and other family members, run the restaurants. Berman said they intend to be loyal to their father's vision.

"We have absolutely no intention to change anything," Scott Berman said. "This is what we do, this is the way we do it and the way we do it works correctly, so why would we change?"

Don Drucker, Laurie's husband, said he admired his father-in-law for always being honorable with everyone he interacted with.

"He would always go overboard on the benefit of the other person, whether it be in rectifying a customer complaint or dealing with a supplier," Don Drucker said. "Whatever the case may have been, he was honorable."

Laurie Drucker said her father loved trying all kinds of food and would often take the family out to dinner all over the city, even sometimes up to Milwaukee.

"He was a foodie before anyone made the term," Laurie Drucker said. "In the late '60s, the Chicago Daily News had a top 25 pizza places in Chicago and I remember us going to every one."

Scott Berman said in recent years his father loved coming to the restaurant and greeting customers, only stopping a few months ago when he began having heart issues. Maurie's condition kept him in his Lincolnwood home, where Flaurie stayed by his side. Hospice care started Friday.

Scott Berman and Laurie Drucker said they didn't know if they would have a public memorial for their father but said both restaurants will be closed Tuesday to allow their employees to mourn with them. Maurie Berman is also survived by his son Myles and grandchildren Alyssa, Laura, Steffie, Max and Ross.