Exploring the heart of the Triangle

Cary, North Carolina is a city located within the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill). It is home to the best kept secret in the area: Jim’s Ole Time Hot Dogs, a Triangle favorite. It is located in the most unlikely of places: Lowe's Home Improvement Store. It is a stainless steel cart located outside underneath the awning beside the exit doors. Although the hours are not posted, the hot dogs are usually ready by 11:30am and stop serving at 5pm. Hot dogs can always be had seven days a week, but on weekends the line to get one of these famous dogs can be seen wrapped inside the store.
Jim’s Ole Time Hot Dogs can satisfy anyone’s taste buds. Jim’s flagship brand is Nathan's, famous beef dogs from Coney Island, and are a popular favorite among customers. Some customers prefer the Southern Red Dog, which is a hot dog made with a red dye and a mixture of pork and beef. If you like something bigger, try the Nathan’s Sausage Dog or for something spicier, the Nathan’s Jalapeno Dog.
Once you decide which hot dog is right for you, now is the time to pick the ‘fixins’. The typical condiments include mustard, ketchup, sweet relish, fresh diced white onions, and great tasting beef chili. If you want make it Southern style, try adding coleslaw. Northerners might be more inclined to order theirs with sauerkraut and spicy brown mustard. If those toppings are not enough, try mayo, a shot of cheese, or cooked sweet Vidalia onions known as “red onion sauce.” Be sure to make it a combo by picking from over fifteen different drinks and a bag of chips or an old fashioned Moon Pie.
Although customers keep coming back because of the great tasting hot dogs, it is probably due to the warm and funny personality of Jim Rivers, the owner and operator. Jim can always be found telling jokes and making people laugh and smile. Jim greets most of his repeat customers by name and can usually make the hot dogs without ever asking how they want them. Like his hot dogs, he has found the perfect ingredients for a successful business. A great product, reasonable prices, and an intriguing personality are what keep people coming back.
If you happen to be in the area in the month of October, be sure not to miss the State Fair in Raleigh. The same great tasting hot dogs can be found here just as in Cary. In order to find his booth, let your nose be your guide and, as you see the Art and Crafts building, you then realize these hot dogs are the only thing worth eating.
A quick glance at his trailer in the parking lot could very well have his business motto written on it. In red and green colored words is “We Relish Your Patronage.” Any one of his customers will tell you that it doesn’t get any truer than that.