Sold! Iconic 84-year-old New Jersey hot dog stand auctioned off

For 84 years Libby’s Lunch in Paterson’s Great Falls sold hot dogs like M&M’s. People made it a destination place to get a Texas Weiner which is a deep-fried hot dog with chili.

Do not let the name fool you, the Texas Weiner was created in Paterson, NJ more than 30 years ago and Libby’s Lunch served up the best.

Business at Libby’s Lunch floundered a bit in 2017 and sales were not meeting the bills, namely the rent. By the summer of 2020 Libby’s Lunch had owed over $90,000 in back rent. Add the negative effects that the pandemic had on restaurants in general and Libby’s Lunch had no chance of surviving.

They closed their doors in the summer of 2020, a proud family that served their customers well and had the tough reality of the economy force them to end their impressive 84-year run.

According to a story at nj.com, the building and business sold at auction for a final bid of $850,000. Sal Washah, the owner of a Clifton barbecue restaurant that specializes in halal meats, purchased the restaurant.

His plans for the new restaurant will be a glass building that will be able to look over the Passaic River where the Great Falls meet. The café and lounge will serve sandwiches and salads and he states that it will be a place that will be affordable for everyone.

In keeping with formality, Paterson City Council must formally accept the bid when it meets on May 16, 2024.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host Big Joe Henry. Any opinions expressed are Big Joe’s own.

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