Jonny B'z Dogs to bring a bite o' Southern comfort food to y'all in Grand Rapids

Deborah Johnson Wood

Y'all won't be callin' these dogs Coney dogs. These are chili dogs, Southern style – and that means with coleslaw on them (or as a side dish, if your Michigan taste buds insist).

But hot dogs won't be the only thing on the menu at Jonny B'z Dogs and More, 638 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids. The restaurant, owned by Jon Goad, managing partner, and Bob Graham, opens in early April.

Goad, 51, was born and raised in Virginia, moved to Grand Rapids with his family during his high school years, married his high school sweetheart Ginger, and settled down here after they traveled the world. Ginger is a chef at The Winchester, next door to Jonny B'z.

"Everybody in Michigan is rabid about Coney dogs," Goad says. "In the south we don't have Coney dogs, we have chili dogs and it doesn't look like a Coney, doesn't taste like a Coney. When I was two in Lynchburg, Virginia, up against our back yard was Meeks's Delicatessen and he served me my first chili dog with coleslaw. It was like crack cocaine – I was hooked."

In addition to hot dogs served with a variety of toppings, the menu includes hamburgers topped with chili or coleslaw, French fries tossed with fresh seasonings and gumbo.

"I'm going to serve Virginia country ham deep-fried in a biscuit," Goad says. "Customers will be on it like a bull dog on a pork chop."

The building, a historic renovation, retains its tin ceilings and original wood floors. Goad says the two storefronts he's leasing will have reproduction black and white checkerboard composite tile that replaces the original, but badly damaged, that was in the building.

The restaurant contains a full kitchen, something Goad says is unusual for hot dog joints.

"Most hot dog places around town have re-heating kitchens, but we're doing a lot of fresh foods so we need a full kitchen," he says. "The hot dog world has a lot of yellows, greens and reds in the restaurants and we're going to go with earthen tones of those colors, muted and up to date."

Source: Jon Goad, Jonny B'z Dogs and More

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Development News tips can be sent to [email protected].