Rookie Macon restaurant owner lost it all in a fire. But he’s praying for a comeback
Tony Walker remains undaunted after a fire destroyed his fledgling walk-up hot dog restaurant in Macon earlier this month.
“I’m believing God for a new restaurant and a new home,” Walker said. “That’s what I’m praying for.”
In April, Walker opened Doggie Dogs in a small space painted on the outside to look like a dog house in a building shared with three other tenants at 880 Pio Nono Ave.
Walker wanted to open a hot dog stand but needed a commercial kitchen.
He started looking for places and found a space he could lease in a building that once housed Hillcrest Cleaners and other businesses in the Cherokee Center shopping plaza.
His hot dog joint took off with its variety of hot dog choices starting at $1, disaster nachos and barbecue chicken sandwiches and him staying open into the wee hours of the morning. His mom, Helen Walker Law, worked alongside him.
He gave God the credit for giving him the idea for Doggie Dogs.
The fire
June 14, a fire ravaged the building, displacing all the tenants that included a tattoo business, a thrift store and a used car dealer in addition to Doggie Dogs.
Walker, and his 8-year-old son, Antonio, also made their home inside the small space. Walker didn’t have renter’s insurance. They’re now renting a room in a boarding house.
“We lost all our clothes, all our equipment, everything,” Walker said.
Walker was pulling into Sam’s Club with his son in the car on the Wednesday morning before Father’s Day when he learned that the whole building that housed Doggie Dogs was on fire.
He’d left a small grease fryer on to warm up while he was away to pick up some cups from Sam’s Club. The fire started about 9:30 a.m. Walker had expected to open for business at 11 a.m.
Macon-Bibb fire investigator Lt. Kyle Murray said the fire was ruled accidental.
“The gentleman actually stated that he had had turned on one of his fryers to warm up and had left the business, and the oil in the fryer got too hot and caused a fire,” Murray said.
Hope for a comeback
Walker said his only option is to trust God.
“It’s unfortunate how it happened, but at the same time, I believe God is bigger, and if we’ll trust him, he’ll make even the worst mistakes good,” Walker said. “That’s what I’m believing.”
Walker said he hopes to not only open Doggie Dogs in the same location but also possibly expand to the entire building. He’s started a GoFundMe site.
Alphie Spears, who owns the building, said he’s filed the insurance claim, has found new locations for the three other displaced tenants and plans to repair and restore the building.
Spears was asked about Walker’s desire to reopen in the same location.
“The answer is probably but there’s still so many things that are up in the air that we’ll assess it and take it one day at a time,” he said.
