The owners of Shorty's, a Pittsburgh purveyor of hot dogs and hot dog-related offerings since the 1930s, have faced adversity before. Out of the ashes of their two downtown locations, which have fallen prey to reconstruction projects, may rise the Shorty's chain --a hot dog stand chain. The owners think complete annihilation of their hot dog empire may create an opportunity to rebuild and even expand the brand. Tim Murphy, an associate professor of entrepreneurship at Washington and Jefferson College, said that Shorty's expansion plan could be "almost a case study for a franchising class" -- testing the reasons for the popularity of the brand: location vs. food and service.
Posted by franchiselawblog at December 6, 2004 07:48 PM