A hop, skip and a jump from the Memorial Park Splash Pad, hot dogs and icy goodies await hungry frolickers.
The Spot, a new hot dog and burger joint in downtown Fulton, opened in early June. Owner Cindy Baker hopes it'll become a destination for summer food.
The former proprietor of KACO and current owner of Errand Runners, Baker moved her offices into the space at 526 Court St. after Fontenot's purchased KACO's old building on Commons Drive. The narrow building used to house a snow cone stand.
"It had a sliding window and awnings, so of course I had to sell something," Baker joked.
She looked into reviving the old snow cone tradition but, after some research, realized it wouldn't be economically viable. So, Baker turned to her own memories.
"Do you remember when you were a kid, and your grandma would drive you to the summer hangout?" Baker asked Friday. "My idea is for this to be a place kids can walk up to from the splash pad - a way for them to have an independence."
Naming the restaurant proved even more tricky - none of her ideas seemed to fit.
"I kept saying 'I want it to be the spot where'" Baker recounted.
Ultimately, she just went with "The Spot."
"Everything else didn't work in a sentence," she said.
The Spot's brief menu features on-the-go sidewalk fare: several varieties of hot dogs, tavern burgers, chicken salad on a bun, tacos and "walking tacos" served on a bed of Fritos, plus Fudgesicles and other cold treats. Vegetarian alternatives are available for the tacos.
"These are flavors I grew up liking," Baker said.
Tavern burgers, for the unfamiliar, feature seasoned ground beef left loose instead of being formed into a patty. They're the Sloppy Joe's less-sloppy cousin, popularized by chains like Maid-Rite and Tastee. Her own recipe is a blend of the best aspects of classic recipes, Baker said.
And they have a practical advantage over your average burger, Baker said: Griddling up patties requires a fume hood, which would cost $20,000 to install, she said.
Her franks are quarter-pound Nathan's Famous hot dogs, boiled up New York City-style in "dirty" (that is, seasoned) water.
Returning customer John Grems ordered a walking taco and a Mexican coney for himself and his wife when he stopped by for lunch Friday.
"The wife likes it, and I like it," he said, adding he likes to support local restaurants. Grems runs the "Callaway County Restaurants: Reviews and Information" group on Facebook.
Diners can "Whammy" any menu item for $2, which will get them a scoop of bacon and coke-caramelized onions plopped on top of their order. Baker credits The Station owner Keli Tate for suggesting she add a quirky customization option. The name comes from the game show "Press Your Luck."
The Spot consists of an order window and a pickup window - Baker added the second window to allow customers to spread out. Though she'd initially planned to add a few seats inside, the ongoing pandemic has delayed those plans indefinitely.
Baker is still deciding on hours, though last week The Spot was open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.
"I'd like to see more families with kids in the evening," she said. "As I've been telling our customers, they're helping us choose our hours."
As a seasonal business, The Spot will close Oct. 31, though Baker plans to reopen for the Fulton Christmas Parade and any downtown fall festivals.
Baker added she's currently looking to hire additional part-time workers.
"It makes a good first job," she said.
For more information, or to apply for a position, contact Baker at [email protected].