Mike Adams first approached his wife Jennifer with the idea of opening a hot dog stand several years ago as he prepared to transition out of the military. Though this proposal was not one she’d seen coming, Jennifer joined her husband in embarking on this new chapter. 

The pair opened Dogslingers, and their new business selling hot dogs steadily grew as they expanded their menu and even added a second location. Now, the couple is celebrating the beginning of a new chapter as they’ve begun to serve customers from their newly opened sit down restaurant. 

The Depot, located at 2801 Raeford Road, opened its doors to customers last week and the couple have enjoyed welcoming community members to their new space. 

“We named it The Depot…I want it to be a place where people can gather, sit and talk, and pick up what they need, which is the eventuality for the retail space…So The Depot became the name that we wanted to use, because it's a place to gather, it's a place to refuel, it's a place to exchange,” explained Jennifer.

The Depot logo features a food truck with the classic Dogslingers logo printed on the side of it, so Dogslingers is still fully present in this new chapter. 

With the new space will come new offerings like weekly soup and salad, the addition of the horseshoe sandwich, an Illinois classic, a pork tenderloin sandwich and more as they continue to experiment with new recipes and engage with the community to see what sort of dishes are in demand. 

A deli counter, retail space and some final touches with decorating are yet to be complete, but that only means customers have even more to look forward to as the owners continue developing the restaurant. 

As this new chapter begins, Jennifer shared that the whole experience is “overwhelming and gratifying.”

“There are things that constantly unite us. We all have to eat. Food becomes really emotional for people. They get used to something, they like a certain flavor, they like something done a certain way, and we have so many memories that are tied to food and those experiences with our families. So we’re creating new family here as we’re doing that,” remarked Jennifer. 

The trailer will still be operating under the Dogslingers title. It’s parked at the Lowe’s on Ramsey St. The Depot is open four days a week Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The trailer’s operating hours are more variable and can be checked regularly on the business’s Facebook page.