Sammy's, Version 2.0, Ready for Dog Days of Summer

Every dog has its day, or so they say, and it seems that day has come for the folks at Sammy's Speed Dog. 

Sammy's reopened three weeks ago after a year-long hiatus, and this time around the Sammy's crew hopes to make the gourmet hot dog diner a destination for classic car buffs, biker and families out cruising the strip. 

This is the second go-round for the petite restaurant on Shakopee's northwest side. The building was originally a Taco John's, then a series of Mexican restaurants. At last, Lakeville businessman Mark Peterson, the building owner, decided to open a restaurant of his own about a year-and-a-half ago, and the first Sammy's was born.

Sammy's is Peterson's brainchild, through and through, said Manager Tyler McCoy and Dawn Folisi, co-owner of the new Sammy's. Peterson, who is described as a bit of a perfectionist, planned (and taste tested) every menu item, from the habannaise to the Carolina slaw. He scoured the U.S. for the best dogs—from the streets of LA, Mexico, and Texas. He even went to Hot Dog University ("Learning the Art of the Cart") in Chicago. Under his watch, dogs were never to be boiled—only grilled—and the restaurant would have fresh cut ingredients every day. And there would be absolutely no Cheez Whiz. Ever.

The joint developed a devoted following, but the timing wasn't quite right. Sammy's opened just before a major construction project began on County Highway 69. The work involved periodic road closures, and even though businesses in the area were accessible via detours, the inconvenience proved a to be a stumbling block for the first iteration of Sammy's. 

"That was very bad for business. So (Peterson) just decided to close up shop," said Folisi, whose husband was a longtime friend and client of Peterson's. "To me he had a great thing. He just had an unfortunate situation." 

Folisi's husband, Edward, also happened to be one of Sammy's biggest fans.

"He just loved it. My husband wanted to reopen it, but (Peterson) said he wouldn't reopen it without a partner," Folisi recalled.

Edward and Dawn decided to invest. Together, Peterson and the Folisis set about retooling the restaurant with an eye to spring 2013. There have been a few amendments to the menu, but the mainstays of Sammy's I are still there.

So far, the reception from the citizens of Shakopee has been warm, even if the weather is cold. The restaurant at 815 1st Avenue West plans to open a carry out window soon.