Fluky's at Wal-Mart

What the hell is that?

-ramon

Explanation? I thought Fluky's closed down?

Glad I re-read the subject line. When I first read it, I thought it said Fluky's was at H-Mart.

There is a Fluky's in the Wal-Mart on Touhy in Niles. The sign says "since 1929" or some such.

Made me ill, even though I didn't eat there.

-ramon

Ok, I wasn't going to post this but last week, I was at a job site in Buffalo Grove. Looking for lunch, my trainee and I headed west on Deerfield Parkway till we saw Fluky's. Seeing the familiar name, I delcared lunch found.

In retrospect, it was a poor choice but we both ordered beefs. They were pretty awful. The skinny fries were better than I expected, though.

I grew up in Rogers Park and used to go to the Western Ave Fluky's. Later, I went to the Friday night cruise events at the Niles location very often. I'm a bit disappointed that Fluky's has expanded in the manner that they have. Do they at least have the hot dog bubble gums?

In a moment of desperation last year, I got some food there - I've never been a fan of Fluky's, but the Wal-Mart concession is just that - rolling hot-dog warmer and all....(now where's that puking smiley?)

Mhays wrote:(now where's that puking smiley?)

I never got the deal with Fluky's anyway. In either its franchised or the former, now U Lucky Dawg location, it never seemed more than a hair better than average. I actually bought some Klement's "Chicago-style" dogs a while back-- isn't that what Fluky's uses-- at Woodman's and fixed better hot dogs at home myself.

The place I would praise is Wolfy's, on Peterson. We popped in there to feed the kids on Saturday and everything was just fine-- minimalist dogs, char-grilled burger. Fries are just the ordinary frozen stick kind, but the sandwiches are quite good.

Wolfy's
2734 W. Peterson Ave., Chicago
Tel: (773) 743-0207

Mike G wrote:The place I would praise is Wolfy's, on Peterson. We popped in there to feed the kids on Saturday and everything was just fine-- minimalist dogs, char-grilled burger. Fries are just the ordinary frozen stick kind, but the sandwiches are quite good.

Wolfy's
2734 W. Peterson Ave., Chicago
Tel: (773) 743-0207

I couldn't agree more. While there are better dogs to be had, Wolfy's has my favorite polish in town bar none. They also sell the hot dog bubble gum that was mentioned upthread.

Back in the heyday of Fluky's, when the Western/Pratt location was actually run by Fluky's, they turned out a pretty good product and was a go to spot for me. The success of Fluky's spawned Wolfy's as an imitator. Now the student has become the master.

I live a stones-throw from Linconwood Town(e) Mall where one of the franchised Fluky's operated until last year - and thought the place horribly-run and the quality of the products pretty bad. On the other hand, the Fluky's franchised location on Western & Pratt was excellent - and the successor - U Lucky Dawg - remains high-quality, IMO. I don't go to Wolfy's any more, because my experiences over time were that the staff was mostly untrained and poorly managed, and little attention was paid to quality or consistency.

I've always had good luck at Wolfy's. One thing I like about them is that they do a good job of chopping up their onions. Some places hack up the onions and you end up with huge chunks of onion which I find unappealing.

Mhays wrote:In a moment of desperation last year, I got some food there - I've never been a fan of Fluky's, but the Wal-Mart concession is just that - rolling hot-dog warmer and all....(now where's that puking smiley?)

I was just at Wal-Mart (after visiting Grand-mart,) and, although the last time I went the above was true, it looks like a real dog stand now, complete with hotdog bubble gum. I can't speak to what it's like, as I'm not a fan of Fluky's I just had a coke and ate Korean for lunch instead.

Bill wrote: - and the successor - U Lucky Dawg - remains high-quality,

Didn't all of the U Dawg U's turn into Dear Franks or The Dog House?

Edit:
Oops nevermind. I read that too fast. U Lucky Dog does not say U Dawg U. Wow I miss that place.

There must be an interesting story regarding U Dawg U that I have yet been able to entirely ascertian, and though I have my theories, I will not speculate, and just report the facts.

U Dawg U won an IDOT contract to build restaurants in many of the new Oases. IIRC, they even opened one at the Des Plaines location. Shortly thereafter, it closed, and the other locations never materialized. I believe this is a story for Carol Marin, but if the original owners of U Dawg U are staying mum, I'm certaintly staying out of it.

If anyone knows anymore, please PM me.

-ramon

Ramon, U Dawg U also had a concession at the Lake Forest Oasis. When they vacated, Stonebridge Gyros & Cafe(already selling Vienna Beef products), leased their site and opened The Dog House. The SG&C's are located at: Belvidere, Hinsdale, O'Hare, and Lake Forest. To my knowledge there's another Dog House on the tollway. Not sure which oasis, but O'Hare seems to be ringing a bell. They serve a very good Polish on a plain steamed bun.

Fluky's was started at Maxwell Street in 1929 by Abe "Fluky" Drexler and later incarnations were run by his son, Jack. Fluky's first stand is widely (though naturally not universally) accorded with having originated the Chicago-style hot dog. Here's more history. In more recent years, the Drexler family ran a couple of mall food-court Fluky's locations on Michigan Avenue and in Lincolnwood, both of which closed in 2006, when they opened in Buffalo Grove and in the Niles Wal-Mart; the latter is, I believe, part of Wal-Mart's local-restaurant program, like the Uncle Remus in Austin.

U Lucky Dawg is the new name for the longtime Fluky's location on Western Avenue. That site was, from 1998-2006, run under license by Larry and Randee Estes, who also own Max's Italian Beef. It differed from the Drexler-operated spots by using Vienna Beef dogs, among other things. In 2006, The Esteses dropped the license and renamed the place U Lucky Dawg.

U Dawg U, a different chain, was out of business by the time the Esteses renamed, perhaps overextending themselves with their 2005 tollway expansion.

LAZ,

It was my undrstanding that up until 1998, the Fluky's on western had their dogs custom made, is that correct? I quit going there after it changed hands, because I could get a Vienna dog almost anywhere (with better fries). Do the new chain incarnations of Fluky's use the same custom made dogs, and if so, is the recipe the same? Seems like too much to hope for. It seems they are just marketing the brand name to investors now.

D

The only semi-pertinent tidbit that I can contribute to this thread is that U DAWG U was owned by the Mages family, the same folks that owned Morrie Mages Sporting Goods Store (and also the Mages Hot Dogs on Dempster--now Hot Dog Island)

Mike G wrote:The place I would praise is Wolfy's, on Peterson. We popped in there to feed the kids on Saturday and everything was just fine-- minimalist dogs, char-grilled burger. Fries are just the ordinary frozen stick kind, but the sandwiches are quite good.

Wolfy's
2734 W. Peterson Ave., Chicago
Tel: (773) 743-0207

Wolfy's was started by Fluky's brother in-law.

We had a U Dawg U near us in Glenview. It closed and became Dear Franks.
My kids used to go to U Dawg U during high school lunches! They loved it. Apparently, Dear Franks was a little different.

U Dawg U opened in the Lake Forest Oasis but they didn't have hamburgers - because there was a McDonalds there.

d4v3 wrote:It was my undrstanding that up until 1998, the Fluky's on western had their dogs custom made, is that correct? I quit going there after it changed hands, because I could get a Vienna dog almost anywhere (with better fries). Do the new chain incarnations of Fluky's use the same custom made dogs, and if so, is the recipe the same? Seems like too much to hope for. It seems they are just marketing the brand name to investors now.

I talked to Jack Drexler last summer and he certainly gave me the impression that the Buffalo Grove store and the then yet-to-come stand at Wal-Mart were his operations, but I did not ask specifically whether they were directly managed or somehow under license, whereas it was always pretty clear that the erstwhile Western Avenue Fluky's was not running the same promotions, etc., as the former mall stands.

The Buffalo Grove store is using some kind of proprietary dogs, presumably the same kind you can order through the Fluky's web site. I did not care for them.

Fluky's is dead for all practical purposes. Their single location inside the Niles Wal-Mart is barely a shadow of the once-proud doggery.





I had a feeling they were doomed when I heard a radio interview with the owner a few years ago. He claimed their current skinless wieners were "just as good" as the old natural casing hot dogs.



That's absolute crap; it's a pathetic frankfurter. Condiments are okay but can't save the mushy, flavorless sausage. The whole thing is rather sad. I know I'll never return to Fluky's.

Fluky's (inside Wal-Mart)
5630 W Touhy Av
Niles IL
847-588-3889

It saddens me that Fluky's will be judged by the product shoveled out of this suburban Walmart kiosk. My grandparents took me to the Western Fluky's all the time as a kid and then would let me run wild all afternoon through the park nearby (Wells? I forget which park was there, but I entertained myself endlessly there). I remember loving their dogs and fries and hot dog gum. I can't really say whether it was truly a good dog or not. I loved it enough as a kid, but, well, my palette and appreciation of food has changed over the years. But regardless of whether it was truly a "quality" dog or not, the point was, Fluky's was an event place; it was something, as a kid, to get me super-awesome-excited when my gramma would tell me she was taking me there for lunch and then the park. Seeing that Fluky's get bigger and bigger as we approached it down the street, running in and staking out a booth, then going up to the counter to order, handing the cashier the money my grandmother handed me to give to them, then trying not to eat all my food before I've had a chance to drink it all in with my eyes and savor the image, on top of really enjoying what I was eating, I still feel that kind of giddy excitement when, as an adult, I go to certain restaurants; it just happens more when the destination is sushi instead of dogs. Fluky's, among other places, taught me about getting excited about food. But this crap-ass kiosk in a Walmart, whether the polish is any good or not, that scene just isn't the kind of thing any kid (or any adult with memories as a kid) is gonna get the blood running for. What a sad sad finale of a legacy for such an iconic hot dog joint.

Rene G wrote:I had a feeling they were doomed when I heard a radio interview with the owner a few years ago. He claimed their current skinless wieners were "just as good" as the old natural casing hot dogs.



That's absolute crap; it's a pathetic frankfurter. Condiments are okay but can't save the mushy, flavorless sausage.

I believe you, but I'm surprised by the photo, because the end of the dog sure looks like a natural casing.

Chicago Expat wrote:It saddens me that Fluky's will be judged by the product shoveled out of this suburban Walmart kiosk.

The previous free-standing location in Buffalo Grove was no better. The best thing was the pickles.

Chicago Expat wrote:It saddens me that Fluky's will be judged by the product shoveled out of this suburban Walmart kiosk. My grandparents took me to the Western Fluky's all the time as a kid and then would let me run wild all afternoon through the park nearby (Wells? I forget which park was there, but I entertained myself endlessly there).

I think you're talking about Warren Park. Seriously, if you get back to Chicago, don't even think about visiting Fluky's. I'm not half the fan you are (I liked Fluky's but didn't grow up with it) but still found its current state very depressing.

LAZ wrote:I believe you, but I'm surprised by the photo, because the end of the dog sure looks like a natural casing.

I'm quite confident it was skinless. Those ridges radiating from the end are usually indicative of a skinless sausage. They're formed by creases in the cellulose casing that gets stripped off at the end of processing. Natural casings are more stretchy and generally don't cause those ridges.

I think I see the cause of confusion: that little bit of meat resembling the tail that sometimes hangs on the end of a natural casing sausage. Here's another angle that might be clearer. I think you can even see the lengthwise slit (at about 2 o'clock on the wiener) made by the blade that removes the cellulose casing.



I probably should have shown the other end of my WalMartFlukyDog (but the photos weren't as good). I think this picture also shows the skinlessness and also might even hint at the mushy, waterlogged texture of this sorry sausage.



Just in case anyone wants to look at more hot dog ends, here are a couple pictures from an old post that illustrate the differences between natural casing and skinless.

In another thread I wrote:Be careful which Gold Coast Dogs you go to. As I mentioned earlier this year, the one at 159 N Wabash serves a natural casing dog but the GCD at 17 S Wabash uses skinless.

Gold Coast Dogs, 159 N Wabash


Gold Coast Dogs, 17 S Wabash

Rene G wrote:I think I see the cause of confusion: that little bit of meat resembling the tail that sometimes hangs on the end of a natural casing sausage.

Thanks Rene, in the past I've been confused on that point myself. Here is a thread where gp60004, Gus owner of Wiener and Still Champion, comments on the subject.

Enjoy,
Gary