Family mourns Peep's founder

One of the original owners of Peep's Hot Dogs in Arlington Heights - and who gave his nickname to the business - has passed away.

Craig Stroder and his father, Don, started selling their hot dogs from the back of a small trailer in 1967, just as Hersey High School was being built.

By 1971, they had moved into a permanent building, but still retained their specialty: traditional Chicago-style hot dogs with fries.

Mr. Stroder, a Hanover Park resident, passed away Sept. 3, at the age of 55.

They chose the corner of Rand Road and Thomas Street for its proximity to Hersey and high visibility, although Mr. Stroder attended Prospect High School.

"It was the place where everybody hung out after school and on the weekends," says Wayne Kiehl of Arlington Heights, a childhood friend of Mr. Stroder's.

Family members say Mr. Stroder's nickname, "Peep" became the name of the stand. Regular patrons got into the spirit, calling Don Stroder "Peep's Pop," his sister "Bo Peep" and his brother, "Repeat."

"It was a family-run, family-oriented business," says his sister, Lisa Witt of Arlington Heights. "Kids that went to Hersey and others living in the neighborhood all worked there. There was a real sense of family when you walked in there."

Peter Titre, the first principal at Hersey, says faculty and staff members supported the hot dog stand as much as the students did.

"It was the just the right distance to walk to," Titre says. "It offered a nice diversion."

He said the stand offered another popular amenity: a phone booth.

During the first two weeks after Hersey opened in 1968, there was a phone strike, and they had no phone service in the school. In the days before cell phones, if teachers or administrators had to place an outgoing call they would go down the street to Peep's, Titre said.

Mr. Stroder and his father ran the business until 1981, when they sold it to Sharon Rossman, who runs it today. Around the same year they also opened a pancake house in Barrington, which they called "Peep's of Barrington."

While the pancake house was relatively short-lived, the original namesake business has stood the test of time.

"We put on addition in the back, to add a full service restaurant," Rossman says, "and expanded the menu. Craig worked for us the first couple of years, helping with the addition."

Peep's now does a big business in gyros, ribs, and corned beef sandwiches, as well as chicken and shrimp dinners, but hot dogs continue to be their best seller.

"Craig was just in here a couple of months ago," Rossman added. "He liked to come back and see the place."

Mr. Stroder went on to make his career in restaurant management, going as far as the Philippines to offer his expertise. In recent years, he also worked in personal ministry at Living Christ Lutheran Church in Hanover Park.

Besides his sister, Mr. Stroder is survived by his wife, Donna, and children, Connie and Walter, as well as his brother, Mark (Sue) Stroder.

Services have been held.