How a humble hot dog cart became a Midtown staple

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — There are Sonoran Dog carts all over Tucson, usually parked on dirt, gravel or in the middle of a parking lot.

El Sinaloense in Tucson’s Garden District has become a neighborhood favorite.

“Produce from Nogales,” said owner Norberto ‘Beto’ Maciel.

“We cut everything fresh every day… Tomato, onion, everything. The bun is fresh. Everything we do, fresh.”

Maciel calls them ‘Sinaloense Dogs,’ named after his friend from the Mexican state of Sinaloa.

Fifteen years ago, that friend inspired Maciel to move from Michoacán, Mexico to Tucson.

Since then, he’s owned the hot dog cart near Pima and Alvernon.

“Never work another job, only here,” he told KGUN. “We use the same bun all the 15 years and the same hot dog and bacon, everything, the same…”

Maciel says it's about a 50/50 split between his customers ordering in English or Spanish.

“It makes it easy for us to stop in for a quick hot dog, and chow down and get back to work,” said customer Kevin Clymer.

“It was my father who originally brought us here the first time,” added customer Ken Demoranville. “He loved this place. And we’ve been to a lot of the hot dog stands around Tucson, and I think out of all of ‘em, they have the best hot dogs right here.”

Maciel also caters a handful of local parties and events every week, and sometimes for the staff at Tucson’s schools and hospitals.

Through it all, he’s dealt with unpredictable weather and predictably long hours.

“Lot of rain, shine, wind is loud,” he said. “Very hard sometimes. But I appreciate all my customers and neighborhood.”

In turn, the neighborhood has made this seemingly nomadic stand a permanent fixture.

“I hope this place stays open forever,” said Clymer.

KGUN 9, Ryan Fish