When Old Fashion Hot Dog owners Loretta and Tom Sorma served their last dog this past March and locked up the 360-square-foot shop at 4008 Lorain Ave. for the final time, news of the closure stirred nostalgic feelings for many Clevelanders—including Tim Yanko.

“My father would like to go there when we were little,” recalls Yanko, who grew up in Parma Heights. “Then, in the 70s and 80s we’d go there for hot dogs after we were out disco dancing the night away. We’d party in the Flats or wherever, and [Old Fashion Hot Dog] was the last stop before going home—they were open 24 hours.”

Old Fashion Hot Dogs street sign in the process of removal.The neon sign has been a beacon in the neighborhood since 1938. Emmanouel "Mike" Vasiliou first opened Hot Dog Inn in 1928. The Sormas bought the business in 1987 and renamed it Old Fashion Hot Dog.

Yanko’s memories of Old Fashion Hot Dog—all fond—are so vivid, that he and his partner Dwight Kaczmarek decided to buy the sign and various other collectibles at the former Ohio City eatery to create a “mini museum” in their vintage and antique store All Things for You—just three doors down at 3910 Lorain Ave.

“We want to preserve history,” says Kaczmarek of the purchases. “We want it to be a historical destination in our store.”

Dynamic Sign Co. removed the sign yesterday, Monday, June 8. The entire process took about two-and-a-half hours. The neon tubes had to be removed but will be reinstalled before it heads to All Things for You.

“It was cool,” says Yanko of watching the sign come down. “It was pretty intense and the Sorma family was there.”

Yanko and Kaczmarek say they will place the sign on a metal holder so it can be moved easily. “We want to position it as a photo op,” says Kaczmarek.

Old Fashion Hot Dogs 2016The two say they wanted to ensure the iconic sign stayed in the neighborhood. “Other [historic] signs have been sold and didn’t even stay in Cleveland,” says Yanko, adding that they also acquired two counter stools, the large chili pot, the milk machine, the menu board with the prices, condiment containers, and the sugar bowls and creamers.

“They gave us everything,” he says. “We’ll become a destination. We want to create an Old Fashion Hot Dog mini-museum within our store.”

Yanko says they are working on a way for visitors to share their Old Fashion Hot Dog memories—either through a journal or on video.