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Downtown shop moves from carts to storefront

Downtown+shop+moves+from+carts+to+storefront

Sprocket Famous Freedom Dogs invites you to try it and like it.

Kennedy Schaefer

Antelope Staff


College towns are often known for more than the resident university and are especially renowned for good food and unique restaurants. The new restaurant in town, Sprocket Famous Freedom Dogs, provides easy accessibility to the ideal college town food and still incorporates the feeling of the owner’s original hot dog carts.

This new eatery is located in downtown Kearney on the Bricks. Sprocket Famous Freedom Dogs wants to give Lopers a chance to experience their welcoming, laid-back and fun atmosphere. Now through the end of the fall semester, Patrick McClure, owner of Sprocket Famous Freedom Dogs, is offering students who present their student ID card free chips valued at $1.75 with the purchase of their quarter-pound, 100 percent beef Nathan’s Coney hot dog.

Patrick McClure decided to carry on the hot dog legacy when he inherited two hot dog carts from his former father-in-law Dave, “Pa-Pa,”  of whom McClure was very fond. “When I was starting my business I was actually given the name “Sprocket Famous Dogs,” but I knew it was missing something.” Mclure said.

Mclure decided to add an American touch to the name, titling it ‘Sprocket Famous Freedom Dogs’ in honor of his late father-in-law who served in the military.

Despite receiving two hot dog carts, McClure dealt with many tribulations while getting his business started. “I was going through a divorce, fighting for custody of my kids and trying to afford a successful food business,” McClure said.

He says it took lots of trial and error, but he has proved that hard work goes a long way as he sits in his newly opened eatery with a full kitchen.

“I never get tired of creating sauces, jellies and condiments for the hot dogs,” McClure said. All the jellies and sauces, such as his famous Coney Sauce, as well as the “bean less” chili, cheese potatoes and coleslaw are made fresh in-house. “Making the sauces and jellies took lots of trial and error as well as listening to feedback from the customers to get it just right,” McClure said. “I still change up the ingredients sometimes.”

Although McClure has expanded and opened the doors to a new sit-down eatery, he still plans to incorporate his hot dog stands. “They’re actually in the shop right now getting fixed up,” Mclure said. “I do still plan to use them for events around the Tri-City area.”

McClure said that he plans to have the upstairs, where most of the seating is located, open to the public within the next month. The location of Sprocket Famous Freedom Dogs is on the corner of 24th Street and Central Avenue.

This easy-to-find location allows locals and students to access it quickly on lunch breaks and enjoy a quick bite to eat within a reasonable distance from campus and other businesses.

McClure welcomes everyone of all ages to experience the atmosphere, the food and the homemade tastes.  “We’re convinced that once you try Sprocket’s Famous Freedom Dogs, we will become one of your favorite restaurants,”  McClure said. “That’s why we guarantee our mouthwatering meals and friendly service.”

Each hot dog is custom made, and if you’re not satisfied, McClure offers to replace it or the meal is on the house. “The whole concept of this business just clicks for me,” McClure said. “I’ll never get tired of it.”

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