Growing up in rural Chugiak, Alaska, as a little girl, Brandi would listen as her father told stories of his retirement dream. Russ, known to the family as Pete (which is a much longer story), would come home from a hard day's work as a sheet metal worker, installing heat, in the frigid temperatures of Alaskan winters. He would sit at the table and tell his wife, Bonnie, and two daughters, Brandi and Stacy, that one day he would retire to the sunny beaches of Florida and sell hotdogs on the beach.
The family bulldog, also named Petie (another long story) would get excited when Russ would start mentioning hotdogs. Russ would say "Pete, ol’ boy, you wanna go to Florida with me?" Petie would get excited and bark. Russ would say "Pete, you wanna lie in the sun and eat hotdogs all day?" Petie would jump and bark. He loved this game!
Petie grew old and died at 18. Russ grew old and finally retired. Instead of moving to Florida, he stayed in the frigid cold of Alaska. He was too old to buy, run, and deal with a hotdog cart. Brandi, now a mother of two college-aged kids, picked up her father's dream of owning a hotdog cart, but this time with a twist. She wanted one in Hawaii, on Maui especially. She spent many vacations on the islands and wanted to retire on Maui, eventually. Brandi would search for Hotdog carts, for her future plans, every now and then.
One day, on a cold Saturday in January, Brandi called her mom to see if she was warm enough. She was, and unbelievably, she was looking at hotdog carts. She was done with this cold weather and wanted to get out of Alaska for a bit. She was looking at new carts or to have one custom built. Brandi loved her mom's determination and decided to look for herself. On Craigslist, in Maui, sat a well-loved hotdog cart. The owner had to move back to the mainland and could not take her beloved hotdog cart. Brandi swept in, promised to love it, and give it a good home.
Brandi, being in Alaska, turned to her good friend Chris, who happens to be an Executive Chef living in Maui, and asked him to help her run it. Chris loved the idea of a hotdog cart in Maui. With his training and skills; the
team, consisting of Brandi, her kids, her parents, Chris and his girlfriend Savannah, decided to make
this hotdog cart the best gourmet hotdog cart this side of the Mississippi River.
Brandi couldn't stay away from the hotdog cart, and since summers in Alaska are absolutely GORGEOUS, she decided to continue the quality and love of food in Alaska. Tiki Pete's Alaskan Dogs was born in August, 2013, and is open May through October, depending on weather.
Exotic meats from Alaska, provided by Brandi's husband, who owns a specialty meat company, and
the freshest ingredients from local Hawaiian sources provide for our amazing menu. Every sauce
and relish is made, with love. Our buns are made daily, for us, on the island; or flown in from Chicago, for our Alaskan Dogs. We support local business and appreciate that you do, too!
So, that is the story of how Tiki Pete's got it's name. Come by and see Russ/ Pete and even ask
about his dog. I'm sure he'll show pictures!
Mahalo!
