Chicago has been the hot dog capital of the U.S. for years with enough stands to cure the hunger of any sausage fanatic. One such stand is Hot Doug’s: The Sausage Superstore and Encased Meat Emporium, where owner Doug Sohn has been doling out hot dogs, brats, and other sausages since 2001.

However, fans will have to go elsewhere to get their hot dog fix after some sad news that Hot Doug’s will be closing its doors permanently on Oct. 3.

“It’s the same gut feeling I had when I first opened,” Sohn said. “It’s time.”

Sohn opened his restaurant in the Avondale neighborhood in 2001 while working as a cookbook editor.

“My friend Paul Kelly had a bad hot dog one day,” Sohn said. “And I was bored with my job, and I thought ‘I could do this so much better.’”

So Sohn entered the hot dog business, making what some claim to be the best hot dog in the world.

“When it’s done well it’s great,” Sohn said of the Chicago-style hot dog. “If you get bad ingredients, it’s a bad hot dog, it doesn’t matter who makes it.”

Hot Doug’s was meant to change that attitude in Chicago, aiming to make a hot dog that was different and tasted better with consistent quality.

Aside from the classic hot dogs and brats, Hot Doug’s aimed to be more than just a hot dog stand.

“I wanted it to be the place to get all sorts of sausages, ones you wouldn’t be able to find at a normal restaurant,” Sohn said.

From elk to rattlesnake, foie gras, and even kangaroo, there isn’t a kind of meat Sohn hasn’t tried to make into a sausage.

“The funny thing is, a decade ago, you couldn’t sell those kinds of meats to people, ” he said. “They’d think it was too strange. Today, there’s no problem.”

However, some creations still don’t go over so well; andouillette (pig intestine stuffed with more intestines) is one of the few sausages Sohn has never tried again.

“It has to taste good. It doesn’t matter if it’s strange,” Sohn said. “My menu isn’t a gimmick, it’s meant to pleasantly surprise my customers.”

While Hot Doug’s menu is impressive to say the least, what’s more impressive is his fan base. People stand in line for hours to get a chance to try one of Sohn’s newest creations or an old favorite.

“The first time I went to Hot Doug’s, I waited nearly an hour in line. I was the last one to be let in that day,” local filmmaker George Pitsilos said. “I went up to the counter and Doug took my order; $30 worth of specialty dogs. I pulled out my debit card right as I saw the cash only sign. Doug told there was an ATM 10 minutes down the street; they’d wait for me even though they were closing up. Of course the dogs were delicious, and I’ve been recommending the place ever since.”

The service, food, and commitment to customers has kept the public coming back.

“I used to go to Hot Doug’s all the time, it was two blocks from my high school,” Tom Molloy, a Chicago native said. “It was a cool place to hang out and grab some food. I have some great memories of the place, but it’s better to see him close it than pass it on to someone else; I’d hate to see it go down the drain.”

Hot Doug’s is a Chicago staple, and one of the first and few restaurants in Chicago with consistency. Sohn never made a bad dog, and his interaction with the customers is second to none. He takes the time to talk to you, something most restaurants don’t have the time to do. Sohn makes time, and that’s what makes him the best.

Customers, of course, love the interaction with Sohn, who greets every customer and takes their order, and the feeling is definitely mutual.

“The thing I’ll miss most about running the restaurant is the interaction with the customers,” Sohn said. “I’ve become close with the regulars, we chat about a lot when they come in. That’s why there’s only ever been one Hot Doug’s; I’d hate to miss a good conversation.”

Of his fans, Sohn said he’s incredibly flattered with the amount of praise he’s gotten over the years, and he plans to get some lunch and travel with his time off. Of his closing, he said he doesn’t want to get burned out; he’s had an extraordinary run. He has no plans to sell; it’s his name, and it has a great amount of value to him.

And as for his thoughts on ketchup on a hot dog (a sin in Chicago), Sohn said “There are no food rules, ketchup is ok. I don’t care for it, but that’s me; everyone has their own preferences.”

Hot Doug’s is located at 3324 N. California Ave. in Chicago, and remains open from 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays to Saturday until Oct. 3. Stop by this legendary Chicago eatery if you get the chance. It’s worth the travel and definitely worth the wait.