Becoming the top 'dawg' restaurant in Kansas City

OVERLAND PARK, Kansas - When you go to a sporting event, it's one of the most bought things besides beer.

And now, the owners of a new Overland Park, Kansas restaurant are hoping their dishes will provide the bark and bite customers want.

It is called the New York Dawg Pound .

Will Brown and Sal Frustaci co-own the business at 7702 Shawnee Mission Parkway.

Frustaci came up with idea back in 2001. But the idea got put on the back burner because of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Both men have worked in the restaurant business for 20 years.

Then one day in 2009 the two had a surprising circumstance happen.

"We found ourselves without a job at the same time and a hot dog restaurant was something he thought of," said Brown.

The opened NYDP in the third week of December of 2010 and just a month later, they are averaging 300 to 400 customers a day.

Brown said "All of our marketing has been done by word of mouth we haven't' put any ads out. We have used social media such as Facebook. And we've been talking with friends and family."

Since this is their first venture in owning a restaurant, the two got help from a free small business program at Johnson County Community College .

"We made a few mistakes along the way, and we've learned from them," said Brown.

But one mistake they didn't make is with one of the hottest selling items on the menu a Goofy dog.

Not only does it have the dog and bun it includes an unlikely combo of peanut butter and bacon.

The other hot hot dog, is a Hound dog with cheese, egg and chili.

"They are not gourmet, they are more of a working man's gourmet I call it five star food at a fast food price," said Brown.

They also offer healthy alternatives like a carrot dog and salads.

Brown said "A lot of people have told us it's hard to get a good hot dog in Kansas City a lot of restaurants have hot dogs but it's more of an after thought."

Both men hope to open five or six more restaurants in cities like North Kansas City, Lee's Summit and on the Plaza before taking the New York Dawg Pound nationwide.