A man from Saskatchewan who sold his hot dog truck ten years ago is making a comeback in the business, all thanks to a chance encounter with a photographer who stumbled upon the truck while driving through the province.
Kenny Chaplin initially purchased the Diggity Dawgs truck in 2008 from a film production crew and transformed it into a food truck. After operating it sporadically until 2015, he decided to sell it to have more time with his young daughter. For years, he had no information about its whereabouts until recently.
While attending the Ness Creek Music Festival this summer, someone recognized Chaplin as the former hot dog vendor, sparking his interest in the truck once again. His daughter, now 14, found a photo posted by Grant Miller, a photographer from rural Colorado, who had captured the truck during his travels through Saskatchewan.
Miller stumbled upon the truck unexpectedly while driving down a rural road and was captivated by its unique appearance, with intricate details like sesame seeds on the bun and relish on the hot dog. Chaplin, upon seeing the photo, contacted Miller who helped pinpoint the truck’s location using satellite views on Google maps.
Overwhelmed by the reunion with his long-lost truck, Chaplin embarked on a road trip with his daughter to retrieve it. Despite its neglected condition, Chaplin managed to purchase and drive the truck away. He is now dedicated to refurbishing the truck, which had been left untouched for a decade.
With plans to set up his hot dog business in Chamberlain, Sask., near the junction of Highway 2 and Highway 11, Chaplin is excited about the prospect of serving hot dogs to passing drivers. He envisions bringing joy to customers through the nostalgia of the oversized hot dog on his truck.
The heartwarming reunion has brought a renewed sense of purpose to Chaplin, who sees this as the perfect timing for him to reignite his passion for selling hot dogs from his iconic Diggity Dawgs truck.