RESOLUTION HONORING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF SUPERDAWG
WHEREAS, Since its humble beginnings as a hot dog stand at the end of the streetcar line opened by a returning GI and his high school sweetheart to earn additional money during the summer, Superdawg has stood the test of time - now celebrating 75 years of serving up Superdawgs, Whoopercheesies, and Whoopskidawgs to generations of Chicagoans; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of this milestone by the Honorable Samantha Nugent, Alderman of the 39th Ward; and
WHEREAS, Superdawg was founded in 1948 in the then-far northwest corner of the City at the intersection of Milwaukee, Devon, and Nagle by Maurie and Flaurie Berman to earn some additional income while Maurie was studying at Northwestern University and Flaurie taught at Chicago Public Schools; and
WHEREAS, The couple designed the now-iconic prairie-style building that was as unique and distinctive as they were - from the harlequin-diamond pattern to the two 12-foot-tall paper- mache hot dogs (named Maurie and Flaurie, of course) flirtatiously winking at each other when their neon lights are switched on, and eventually the iconic blue control tower which houses the "carhop in a wire" switchboard; and
WHEREAS, With a distinct building and a secret recipe to set themselves apart from the other hot dog stands popping up around the City following the war, all the Berman's needed was a name, and they found inspiration in the superheroes in the widely-popular comics; it's not a wiener, it's not a frankfurter, it's not a red hot - it's a SUPERDAWG; and
WHEREAS, Their location on the edge of the City, across from a forest preserve and Whealan Pool, attracted picnicking families and cruisin' teens alike; at the time, kids could ride the streetcar to the end of the line for a nickel and get a Superdawg for only 22 cents - but if they were a few cents short, Maurie and Flaurie would still serve them and told them to bring the money back next time, which they never failed to do; and
WHEREAS, In 1950, after Maurie finished his studies, the couple realized that their true passion was Superdawg, so they gave up accounting and teaching, respectively, to open Superdawg year- round; and
WHEREAS, As Superdawg grew into a successful business, Maurie and Flaurie enjoyed raising their family of three children (though not on Superdawgs and Whoopercheesies alone), who all worked at Superdawg as teenagers; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the years, the menu would be expanded, and new locations would be opened, but the Berman family has continued the spirit and legacy of Superdawg, always staying true to Maurie and Flaurie's original goal: "always to serve you in a manner that will make you want to return - and bring your friends, and new generations, with you"; and
WHEREAS, To this day, you can order up a Superdawg - 100% beef and still made according to Maurie's secret recipe, of course - loaded with golden mustard, piccalilli, kosher dill pickle, chopped Spanish onions, and
a hot pepper on a poppyseed bun with a side of crinkle-cut Superfries, delivered by a carhop in that classic red box that still reads: "Your Superdawg Lounges Inside Contentedly Cushioned on Superfries"; and
WHEREAS, The story of Superdawg is more than that of an iconic family-run Chicago business or one of the last remaining drive-ins in the country; the story of Superdawg is a 75-year love story to Chicago and its most iconic food from the bottom of Maurie and Flaurie's "pure beef hearts"; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here this 31st day of May, 2023, do hereby congratulate Superdawg and the Berman Family on their 75th anniversary; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Berman family as a sign of our appreciation for serving up their iconic Superdawgs for the past 75 years.