OLIVE HILL, Ky. — Less than two months after celebrating its grand opening, The Hot Dog Depot has announced that its brick-and-mortar restaurant in Olive Hill will close at the end of September.
The business announced Friday, September 25, that its restaurant location will close September 30, just 60 days after its August 1 grand opening — and only 56 days after the restaurant first welcomed customers through its doors as a newly celebrated business.
The Hot Dog Depot opened at 561 E. Tom T. Hall Boulevard, the former location of Burton’s Drive-In and The Drive-In. The Olive Hill Area Chamber of Commerce helped welcome the new business with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 1.
At the time, The Hot Dog Depot promoted its railroad-themed restaurant with the slogan “All Aboard for Great Taste!” and invited the community to come out and support the new locally owned business.
Although the physical restaurant is closing, The Hot Dog Depot itself is not going out of business.
In Friday's announcement, owner Loretta Leadingham said the business will continue operating its food truck and catering service.
“Hearts are saddened,” Leadingham wrote while announcing the closure. She also left open the possibility of eventually returning to a permanent location, saying the business may “open back up another brick and mortar when the time is right and come back stronger than ever.”
Leadingham thanked those who supported the restaurant during its brief run and said she appreciated the people she had met along the way.
No specific reason for closing the Olive Hill location was given in the announcement.
The brick-and-mortar location is scheduled to remain open through Wednesday, September 30, after which customers can continue following The Hot Dog Depot for its food truck and catering operations.