Deciding where to eat on your next late-night food run just got harder. You now have more to add to your repertoire of fast-food options.
Sandwiched between Blockbuster Video and Target Copy on Southwest Archer Road, Orange Tree Hot Dogs, a mom-and-pop shop gone franchise, is setting up its first store in Gainesville.
Orange Tree will open at the Gainesville location on Jan. 28 and has tentative plans for a grand opening in mid-February featuring a hot-dog-eating contest and reduced prices, said Shawn Emling, director of franchising and grandson-in-law of Orange Tree’s founders, Carolyn and Peter Koppenberger.
Emling also said Orange Tree is looking to add two new stores in Gainesville: one near the Oaks Mall and the other on UF’s campus.
“It fits the mold for a budget-minded college student,” Emling said.
He attributes simplicity, cost and originality to Orange Tree’s growing popularity.
“It’s the simplicity of the menu tied in with the uniqueness of the toppings, without having the price point that it dictates,” Emling said.
Emling said that specialty items usually keep customers coming in the door like the Orange Frost (a type of orange smoothie), the Onion Sauce Dog and personal-size pizzas, all featuring secret recipes.
Although Orange Tree is about tradition with most of its locations being virtually identical, Emling said the company is willing to change its hours of operation to accommodate the college crowd.
The new store will be open 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. These hours are considerably extended from any of the other Orange Tree restaurants, Emling said.
Deborah Butler, vice president and general manager of Butler Enterprises, said she thinks Orange Tree Hot Dogs will benefit existing shops and restaurants in Butler Plaza and will add variety to the area.
Butler said she remembers eating at Orange Tree Hot Dogs as a child. The restaurant’s longevity made it appealing as a tenant, she said.
Butler said, because of all the students and families in Gainesville, she was not surprised to see a new restaurant looking to set up shop.
For a complete look at the menu, go to orangetreehotdogs.com.
