Tail O’ The Pup Hot Dog Stand is Now Hiring – Opening this Summer

“Work at a Hollywood legend…” Tail O’ The Pup is now hiring and opening as soon as this summer according to a banner that is now hanging at 8512 Santa Monica Blvd next to Shake Shack, close to the La Cienega Boulevard intersection. I peek inside shows the hotdog stand shaped like a hotdog is BACK in West Hollywood at its new home after vanishing since 2005.

Resumes and employment inquiries can be emailed to [email protected].

The original hotdog stand first opened in 1946. It originally stood on the northwest corner of Beverly and La Cienega boulevards, but the opening of Sofitel Hotel in the 80s moved it down the street to the northwest corner of Beverly and San Vicente boulevards. It would move further north to a Cedars Sinai parking lot on San Vicente, before vanishing in 2005. It’s been in storage since and rumored that it was reopening at various locations dating back as far as 2016.

The California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) states that the hot dog stand applied for a liquor license transfer at 8512 Santa Monica Blvd. TOTP WEHO LLC applied on October 1, 2021.

According to ABC the Hot Dog Stand Opens with the following restrictions:

• No alcoholic beverages shall be consumed on any property adjacent to the licensed premises under the control of the licensee(s) as depicted on the ABC-257 dated DATE and ABC-253 dated DATE.
• Entertainment provided shall not be audible beyond the area under the control of the licensee(s) as defined on the ABC-257 dated DATE and ABC-253 dated DATE.
• The quarterly gross sales of alcoholic beverages shall not exceed the quarterly gross sales of food during the same period. The licensee shall at all times maintain records which reflect separately the gross sale of food and the gross sales of alcoholic beverages of the licensed business. Said records shall be kept no less frequently than on a quarterly basis and shall be made available to the Department on demand.

The historical Tail O’ The Pup hot dog stand is opening at a property that is no stranger to historical significance. The restaurant and lounge property located at 8512 Santa Monica Boulevard has a plaque at its entrance stating that this is where The Doors recorded L.A. Woman in 1971.

The 5,000 Square Foot property was listed for sale in 2020 according to Loop.net. The most recent incarnation was an Italian Restaurant called Blackship. The owners announced its closure in August 2020. “Due to Covid-19, Blackship has permanently closed,” reads the last business update on Yelp. The two-story commercial property was built in 1958.

According to tailothepup.com, 1933 Group purchased the Tail o’ the Pup facade some time in 2018/19 and has been looking for a location in West Hollywood.

1933 Group is credited for a list of historical restorations:

“Formed over two decades ago, the 1933 Group helms a lauded portfolio of hospitality establishments in Los Angeles, including the historical restorations of the Formosa Cafe, Highland Park Bowl and the barrel-shaped Idle Hour in North Hollywood, Harlowe in West Hollywood, Sassafras in Hollywood, La Cuevita in Highland Park, Bigfoot Lodge in Los Feliz, Thirsty Crow in Silver Lake, Culver City’s Bigfoot West and Oldfield’s Liquor Room, and the soon-to-be restored iconic Tail o’ the Pup. Combining design aesthetics that embrace various time periods in early America with a passion for cocktails and the revival of the art of bartending, owners Bobby Green, Dimitri Komarov, and Dmitry Liberman create imaginative libations and scenes throughout LA’s drinking landscape. Each concept reflects bold, modern interpretations, reflective of the company’s dynamic partners and memorable eras.”