Beloved Local Hot Dog Joint Up for Sale

EVERGREEN PARK, IL — An Evergreen Park dining staple could be yours for a mere $549,000 price tag.

After 35 years in business, WoJo's, 9851 S. Pulaski, is on the market. According to the listing, owner Ken Wojcicki is retiring, but leaving behind all the parts to keep the business up and running. There are no plans to shutter it.

The 3,200-square-foot building comes with all equipment (including additional income from an attached two-bedroom house). Thousands of students from Mother McAuley or Brother Rice High Schools have filed into the 54-person capacity hot dog shop, piling into one of the 18 booths with a hot dog or milkshake in hand. Families have sipped on so many flavors of milkshake inside the corner shop seemingly untouched by modernities, with a letter-board overhead menu and walls covered in sun-faded photos of baseball teams that have honored the WoJo name.

Nothing "fancy"—just damn good food.

If you went as a kid, you might remember the hotdog and waffle fry combo—usually cheap enough that you could scrounge up enough to cover it from the bottom of your bookbag. For others who have gone back as adults, it might be the elk, ostrich, buffalo, turkey and salmon burgers—unique menu items for a south suburban favorite apparently unafraid to try something new.

"The best hot dog place on the southwest side, in my opinion," wrote one Yelp reviewer in July. "And that is not even counting in their shakes. Think of a flavor and they likely have it. What sets this place aside from other south side establishments is their inclusion of healthier meat options, such as turkey, bison, and ostrich. A bold move for this area."

And the milkshakes. Oh, the milkshakes. If you've passed by the sign and thought "Pssh. Only 60-plus shakes"—first, what? Who are you? And where do you come from that even 60 shakes from which to choose is something to ignore? Also—they have A HUNDRED now. Yes. 100 flavors of sweet, ice cream and milk-shakey goodness to slurp through your straw until the very last drop. And they regularly come up with new ones.

"I ordered the chocolate peanut butter fluff shake (don't judge me) and it was one of the best things I've ever tasted," wrote another Yelp reviewer in May. "It was magic."

(You hear that? MAGIC.)

The property is valued at over $620,000, and is reduced for quick sale. The ad says don't mess with the employees. They're as treasured as the spot's reputation and its name, which was Wojcicki's nickname from his Army days.

"This place has been here forever," wrote another. "I've been comin' here for over 20 years. Don't overlook this mom and pop place. Keep the character of America strong and screw the big guys."

Whoever scoops up this Southland gem hopefully won't change a thing. Except maybe remove those sad clowns (we all know the ones). But most seem to love you just the way you are, WoJo's.

"You have been doing things the same way since you opened. Your cheese sauce is to die for, you have burgers made from endangered species, bubble gum-flavored shakes, and hot crispy waffle fries," raved one fan. "You are the best place aside from Top Notch in the south side to get a burger and handmade shake. Don't ever change."

EDITOR's NOTE: This article includes personal opinions of the editor, who is a Mother McAuley graduate and former EP resident who spent innumerable afternoons and unknown amounts of money here. Along with Rainbow Cone (the Original), this was my favorite. If you're not a fan, we'll have to agree to disagree. But I won't be able to hear you while I'm slurping my milkshake.