An opening to relish: Wheeling's Superdawg to open in October

Car-side hot dog service is just a few months away.

Construction began on Wheeling's Superdawg a few months ago and it should be open by mid-October, said Scott Berman, son of founders Maurie and Flaurie Berman, who opened the original Superdawg in 1948 at 6363 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago.

"The walls are going up this week," he said. "Pretty much all of the underground work is already done."

While the Superdawg building at 355 S. Milwaukee Ave. will be small -- only about 3,500 square feet -- there will be plenty of parking, Berman said.

"The parking lot is our dining room," he said. "We'll also have a large picnic area right by the forest preserve."

Wheeling's building will be topped off with the most recognizable Superdawg signature, two 14-foot hot dog statues depicting Maurie and Flaurie. The statues will be made just like the Chicago statues - out of papier-mâché, fiberglass and chicken wire.

"My parents figured their business would be around for a couple years, but it's lasted much longer," Berman said.

Both Maurie and Flaurie are 83 years old, but he still works at the Chicago Superdawg and she still answers the phone. Scott and his sister are also Superdawg employees and his daughter, Laura, 27, will be the manager of the Wheeling location.

"With three generations, we're a very active family business," Berman said.

Originally the only suburban Superdawg was supposed to open in February, but that was delayed after financing for the roughly $6 million project was held up and harsh winter weather kept contractors from working.

"We could start construction in the winter and it would take nine months or we could start in the spring and it would take five months," Berman said. "Now, we're ready to go."