CityView Magazine

CityViewNC.com | 41 A ll is quiet in the kitchen of Hot Diggidy Dog on Roxie Avenue. is is where the magic happens about an hour before the crowds start to line up around 11 a.m. on weekdays for their favorite hot dogs, burgers, fried bologna sandwiches, chili- cheese fries, onion rings and, quite possibly, the thickest, most strawberry-licious shakes on the planet. e owner, Zoe "Mama Bear" Kalevas, directs her teens Billy and Roula, who are focused on just a couple of the tasks in their summer jobs. Billy is shaping the beef patties and weighing them on a scale to a precise four ounces each. Roula perfectly chops cabbage for homemade slaw with a super- long knife that could scare away a ninja. Zoe looks on and smiles. eir dad would be proud. "We keep on going!" says Zoe, who is a spark of motherly Greek energy. "ere are good days ahead." e truth is, sometimes Zoe fights back the tears, but she tries to remember how happy-go-lucky her husband was, how much he loved Hot Diggidy Dog and their customers and how much everyone loved him back. Last Nov. 20, Vick Kalevas was hospitalized for COVID-19. On Dec. 12, he passed away. He was 56. Zoe kept the restaurant closed until Feb. 1. Aer she reopened, her regulars were back, just as kind and wonderful as ever, touching her heart. So was her small, dedicated team. Everyone is treated like family here. Because in Zoe's mind, they are. In a world that moves way too fast, Hot Diggidy Dog is a reminder to slow down and smell the roses. It's a quaint place where the hot dogs can be a mix of beef and pork or all-beef. "Carolina style" means mustard, onions, chili and slaw, and it's possible to eat for under 5 bucks. It's a slice of Americana where the Stars and Stripes proudly waves and a chalkboard menu keeps it simple – still with remnants of Vick Kalevas' handwriting. e crowd is a mix of couples who have been married forever, veterans who proudly wear hats marking the wars in which they have fought, soldiers in fatigues, families with small children, and solo diners relishing every bite of their meals, right down to the last salty fry and ketchup licked from their fingers. FTCC Corporate & Continuing Education FTCC's Transition Tech program prepares transitioning soldiers to enter a competitive workforce! Contact Pendy Evans for more information at transtech@faytechcc.edu. Classes available for registration in the following career fields: Basic Construction Technology CDL Truck Driver Training Certified Production Technology CISCO CCNA Certification Training Collision Repair Comprehensive Fiber Optics CompTIA EMT Basic Mobile Structural & Pipe Welding Solar Technology Welding Programs

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