WAREHAM – It’s just a few minutes after 11am on a rainy weekday, but Marcia Joseph has already received her first order from Mainly-Dawgs.
It’s Johnny and he’s a regular.
Marcia can give him his order before he’s finished.
She turns to speak to a visitor, but spots another customer at the window.
Again she already knows the order and lists it, and the man at the window confirms every item, right down to the chicken tenders and two ginger ales. The man compliments her on her memory. “I’m going there. I’m going there,” she says.
If you’re driving down Route 28 in West Wareham, you’ve seen Mainly-Dawgs – the distinctive Little Red Kitchen hot dog stand on 2297 Cranberry Highway that’s far enough off the road to provide parking.
The family-run Mainly-Dawgs has been at this location since last June.
Before that, it was on the Cranberry Highway in East Wareham, just past Water Wizz across the street. They started there in 2017.
Since 2017, Mainly-Dawgs has served more than 40,000 hot dogs to grateful audiences that keep coming back.
“I don’t even want to tell you how many onions we chopped – a lot of crying,” says Marcia with a beaming smile.
She now needs to update her sign with 35,000 copies sold, she adds.
There is enough choice to satisfy the most discerning hot dog lover. There are Coney Island Dawgs, Kraut Dawgs, Linguica Dawgs, Chili Cheese Dawgs, Italian Wurst Dawgs, Corn Dawgs and of course the Mainly Dawgs, served with grilled onions, ketchup, mustard and relish of your choice.
Marcia’s three children have all worked here, from the eldest Lauren Aubertine, a New Bedford Voke teacher who was recently nominated for a Presidential Award for Excellence (one of only three state nominations), and twins David and Jessica as well as eminent ones another Charlie Woodbury, “the man behind the scenes,” who is on call ready to take a meat tour, bring down homemade mac and cheese when a shortage arises, or otherwise take care of what needs to be looked after.
Her niece and nephew also worked at Mainly-Dawgs. Her only help from outside the family, Jean, came just before 11.30 a.m. that day with a large assignment to accompany her. Marcia said Jean was like family because she worked at Mainly-Dawgs.
These hot dogs are exclusively Kirschner dogs, pork and beef mixtures with natural casings.
Mainly-Dawgs is based on a popular hot dog stand from her hometown of Rockland, Maine – Wasses Hot Dogs.
While Mainly-Dawgs mainly sells hot dogs – 40,000 have been sold since 2017 – it also offers dishes like burgers (think thick, juicy and grilled), french fries and onion rings, chicken tenders, clam donuts, deep-fried batter, kale soup, chilli – and Quahogs, which received rave reviews.
“Everything is homemade,” said Marcia.
Marcia takes orders while being interviewed with the skillful aplomb of someone who has served 40,000 hot dogs in a short amount of time – and all those other goodies.
When it’s busy, you need two people at the same time, she said.
The inside of the stand is more spacious than it would appear from the outside. It’s also efficiently set up with a grill, fryer, microwave, and freezer for quick service. It’s squeaky clean too.
“You have to be optimistic. You have to be bubbly and quick, be able to endure chaos. It’s crazy in here sometimes, ”she added as she wrapped up one of the call-in cheeseburgers – with lettuce and tomatoes made to order.
Marcia had worked in human resources at a medical facility in Dartmouth for 19 years. The certified human resources officer loved her job, she said. But when the company was bought out by a bigger company and they were laid off, they started Mainly-Dawgs.
And it made an impact.
People from East Wareham often drop by for an order and wish they hadn’t moved west. “They say we miss you over there,” said Marcia. “Maybe I need a Mainly-Dawgs II.”
She was open seven days a week in her first year but reduced it to six days, 11-4, with Sundays on those days. Mainly-Dawgs is also open all year round. In the fall she will introduce breakfast pizzas and sandwiches with juice and coffee.
Call-in orders are popular (774-775-2629), she said, especially on a rainy day like this when people don’t want to wait outside. It’s also good for people who have a limited lunch break. “They know we’re busy and they know to call ahead so they don’t have to wait,” she said as she put the finishing touches on another order of cheeseburgers and fries.
She recently increased her prices as her costs increased as COVID continues to affect prices. It was the first increase in five years, she said. Mainly-Dawgs has otherwise held its own against COVID as it was set up to provide easy social distancing.
“I don’t have to get rich,” said Marcia. “Of course I have to pay my bills. But I want people to have good food at a reasonable price. “
A look at the menu on Mainly-Dawg’s Facebook page reveals prices that are anything but unreasonable.
And judging by her busy business before noon on a rainy weekday, her customers don’t think she’s unreasonable either.
They seem ready to order another 40,000.
