Some guys are tough. Other guys are even tougher. Then there’s Paul Tweedly.

First, he rose to be a captain with the Trenton Fire Department. That alone doesn’t come easy. Later in 2009, he opened Captain Paul’s Firehouse Dogs, a hot dog joint in Lawrence where he worked his butt off.

Now in his 60s, Tweedly had one open-heart surgery and three stomach surgeries all in just the past year, and he was still working lifting heavy boxes and keeping the eatery going. Finally, according to nj.com, his doctor told him he could expect to be in the hospital more if he kept it up.

No guy this tough wants to give something up. But there’s more than one way to be tough. There’s mental toughness too where you must weigh options and be logical, and emotional toughness where you must do what’s right for your family.

Because Captain Paul checks all the boxes he’s decided to put the hot dog business up for sale.

The outpouring of love was immediate after the announcement. From first responders thanking Tweedly for the memories of the great hangout and for being a bright light in their community to servicemen thanking him for his support to families like the mom who went in 2009 during her pregnancy to satisfy her cravings and whose daughter, once born, grew up with Captain Paul’s and even worked there, everyone loves this place.

the American flag attached to the American military uniform.
Im Yeongsik
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Even his menu items paid tribute to the military and first responders. The third Alarm is a chili dog with onions and mustard. Battleship is a fried hot dog with hot chopped peppers and Carolina Reaper pepper sauce. Order a Thin Blue Line and you’ll get a fried dog with BBQ sauce, ranch, and bacon bits.

Tweedly says he’s had walkthroughs but no serious offers yet. When it does sell, it’s anyone’s guess whether it remains a hot dog joint.

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Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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