Casper's Famous Hot Dogs get new name, familiar face

For nearly 80 years, Casper's Famous Hot Dogs has been a fixture on the corner of Macdonald Avenue and Civic Center in Richmond. The name is about to change. Almost everything else will stay exactly the same.

Corky Booze, a former Richmond city councilmember, has purchased Casper's Famous Hot Dogs at 2530 Macdonald Avenue and plans to reopen it as Corky's Famous Hot Dogs, keeping the staff, vendors, menu, and mid-century orange decor that have made the Civic Center neighborhood institution a fixture of Richmond life for nearly eight decades.

"My main goal is not to change this stuff in Richmond," Booze said. "The Richmond citizens deserve something in a place like this."

Casper's has occupied the corner of Macdonald Avenue and Civic Center since around 1947, becoming one of the last outposts of a regional hot dog chain.

The Richmond location outlasted many of its counterparts, and for good reason. There are the foot-long hot dogs in fresh steamed buns, the brightly colored swivel chairs lining the counter, and a diner atmosphere so unchanged that longtime customers say walking in feels like walking back in time.

For Booze, the connection runs especially deep. An everyday customer for 25 years, he said residents used to seek him out at Casper's during his time on the city council, earning the restaurant the nickname "City Hall South."

The sale was initiated by the previous owners, who approached Booze directly. Papers are signed, and only the final transfer of funds remains to complete the deal.

Booze said almost nothing will change. The entire staff is staying on, including manager Eric Strong. The same vendors will supply the restaurant. The menu is built around a hot dog formula that regulars credit for its distinctive old-time flavor. Booze was blunt about why he is leaving it alone. "Why change a wheel that's turning properly?"

One immediate change: Sunday hours. Casper's had been closed on Sundays, and Booze plans to reopen the restaurant that day, specifically to serve churchgoers after services let out.

Looking further down the road, Booze said he may explore adding a veggie dog option if a suitable product can be found, and plans to add soft-serve ice cream and slushies. Fries are off the table. The kitchen ventilation system, he said, is not built for it.

Booze also hopes to host car shows outside the restaurant, drawing on his background as a former professional NHRA drag racer. He said he is in talks with the city about potentially closing the one-way street adjacent to the building for special events.

A new sign is in the works, though the spirit of the place, Booze insists, will not be touched.

"Everybody talks about, 'when I was a kid, I used to go there,'" he said. "I want them to continue to come here."

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