A Kidder Kaboodle

Tuesday November 3rd, 2009 - St. Charles, IL

Big Jerry’s Kidders summit today. The four of us have been out of touch for a while for various reasons, most of them legit. We needed to get back on the same page so we met at Portillo’s in St. Charles, IL, right across from the Pheasant Run Resort. Portillo’s is a very popular hot dog restaurant chain in the Chicago area that has achieved legendary status.

I was turned on to them back in the ‘80s when I first moved to Chicago. They serve hot dogs and Polish sausages and Italian beef sandwiches among other things. It’s not a fancy menu but they really do it right and every location seems to have lines around the joint for the drive through window at all hours of the day. People in Chicagoland LOVE Portillo’s.

The guy who started it has become a celebrity in town and there are now probably about 40 or 50 locations, mostly in the suburbs. There’s a picture in every one of where it began in 1963, and it’s this tiny little mini house looking thing that isn’t very impressive at all.

What’s extremely impressive is the business the guy built out of that little cart. He has a gold mine and I’m sure he’s a millionaire many times over. Good for him. He found a gig and did it well, and in a town where hot dog joints are everywhere - his brand stands out.

His places are always very clean and well run and there’s a vibe of efficiency whenever I walk in, no matter the location. He’s got the mojo working, and I respect the guy beyond words. I’ve never met him but I’d like to shake his hand someday and say how much of a fan I am of his accomplishments. I know nothing about hot dogs but I admire Portillo’s.

Another guy I admire a lot is ‘Famous Dave’ Anderson. I did get to meet him years ago when I interviewed him on the radio in Salt Lake City. There’s another guy who made his mark on a competitive business and stands out because of his quality and efficiency. I’ve always been a fan of Famous Dave’s restaurants because I see how well they‘re operated.

I don’t want to get into the restaurant business but if I did, I’d gladly work for either one of those places. Someone in charge has a clue, and they know what they’re doing. I would bet they’ll both be around for a while and I’d have to feel good about my job being safe.

Job security was the main issue of our meeting today. We’re all concerned about money right now and wanted to get on the same page of how we’re going to move forward in the next twelve months with the Kidders brand both on radio and as a live performing show.

We’ve got opportunities on the horizon but nothing is in stone and we all have to make a living NOW. If anyone gets hired to do something else it could easily jeopardize all of our hard work as a group and nobody wants that to happen. We’re in a delicate situation here.

Our play with Vicki Quade is moving ahead, but that takes time. None of us can say for sure we’ll be making our living doing it in 2010. Portillo’s built a hot dog empire but they focused on one thing and did it right. Jerry’s Kidders now need to focus on our product.