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Sac’s Tasty Hot Dogs’ menu hasn’t change in 41 years, “A lot of items we display in Vallejo are things that
despite an ownership change. The current owner, George customers have brought in,” Maichel said. “The store has
Maichel, likes to say that’s a testimony to the age-old its own character. You can’t just go to the store and buy all
phrase, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” that stuff. It has to grow and evolve on its own, over time.”

“We’ve been using the same formula for cheese dogs With that in mind, two years ago, Maichel tried something
and chili since 1976, the exact same menu, and still he’s never done before: he expanded the Sac’s pool with
having success,” Maichel said. “What we do is not really the opening of a Napa store along with a 15-year repeat
complicated—it’s a simple formula. It’s just about getting the customer named Eddie Aims. Until meeting Aims, Maichel
little things right every day and being consistent.” had resisted offers from others to open branches in other
parts of the Bay Area, but he said Aims
Maichel spent much of his childhood brought the right skill set, ethics, and
at the hot dog joint that he now owns. enthusiasm for the job.
His mother worked for Sac’s during
his elementary and high school years. “[Aims] just happened to find a hot dog
It was then that Maichel got to know in Vallejo that he loved,” Maichel said,
the original owners, Frank and Velma and the new branch was born from
Saccomano (Frank’s nickname, Sac, there. “I taught Eddie how to make the
is the obvious inspiration behind the chili; I worked with him for the first month
restaurant’s name). Frank made an getting everything just right. We hired a
impression on the young Maichel, bunch of local kids in Napa, and we
who after graduating from UC Davis ended up at a really want the store in Napa to be what Sac’s is for Vallejo.”
Chicago marketing firm. However, when he returned to
Vallejo for a visit in 1997, Maichel received the news that Sac’s offers cups of chili for $2.95, and chili cheese dogs
Saccomano was going to retire and shut down Sac’s. for $6.30. Cheese dogs, for $4.75, are a local favorite,
Sac’s Determined to maintain the beloved restaurant started by Coca-Cola soda fountain flavors.
and Sac’s has kraut dogs and Cajun dogs as well. Sac’s
“(Saccomano) was like an uncle to me,” Maichel said.
also has a lemonade ICEE machine, in addition to the

“Vallejo has changed so much in 40 years, but we’re still
his “Uncle Frank,” Maichel decided to buy the business and
serving the exact same menu, the exact same quality,
convinced his fiancé to move back to Vallejo with him. He
has been running Sac’s ever since. As he took over Sac’s,
with everything our customers have been used to for four
Hot Dogs “Our goal is not just to deliver a great, fresh lunch for a fair Sac’s Tasty Hot Dogs is open from Monday thru Saturday
decades,” Maichel said.
he kept his own life story in mind.
price, but also to employ local people,” Maichel said.“I
from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is open on Sunday from
10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
grew up in Vallejo, proud of Vallejo. My son plays little
Its Vallejo branch is located at 2445 Springs Road and can
league here, and the city is my home.”
be reached by calling (707) 642-2442.
Sac’s offers package deals, and you get a lot more than
be reached at (707) 258-8905.
you pay for. Cheese dogs come with your own little
For additional information, visit or follow Sac’s on Facebook
mountain of cheddar and the chili has been a local favorite Its Napa branch is located at 1453 West Imola, and can
Keeping it simple, keeping it good for decades. Maichel called it, “A good, solid meal that at facebook.com/sacstastyhotdogs.
has been a favorite since 1976.”

By Nate Gartrell The interior of the Vallejo branch will take you right back to Nate Gartrell grew up in Benicia, studied
the 1950s. It features an assortment of Coca-Cola signs, journalism in college, and has written for a
handful of media outlets since age 15. He aspires to
or 41 years, Vallejo residents have been lining up out the door and around the corner at Sac’s Tasty Hot Dogs, old photos, and relics from Vallejo’s past given to the store visit all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums and
patiently waiting to be served cheese dogs and chili. Some longtime residents have been eating there their entire from regulars. It is a reflection of the community that has to hit the trifecta at the horse track.
Flives, and the restaurant’s Monday-Friday lunch rush from noon to 1 is almost as predictable as the sunrise. been keeping Sac’s afloat for generations.

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