By Mike McCombs
The Island News
The empty building at 223 Scott Street is going to the dogs.
Hot dogs.
The downtown Beaufort building, home most recently to Amidst The Alders, which moved to Port Royal, is currently be remodeled and will be home to HopDog, a gourmet hot dog restaurant and beer garden.
Lost Local owner Alex Velasco and his wife, Alison Velasco, as well as his 2-year-old daughter, Winter, he joked, are the owners of the new establishment expected to open sometime this spring, hopefully March. (But don’t hold him to it, he said.) Planning for the business to be located next to Rain -N- Bagels, began in November.
The work is already visible in front of the building, where a tree was recently removed and has been replaced by pea gravel and four-by-four posts where the beer garden will be. There will be seating, as well as a bartop, in the outdoor area. Inside, Velasco said, there will be seating and counter service, as well.
Velasco said in addition to the food, there will be 20 beers on tap, as well as a full bar. He hopes to host live music, as well. But he said the establishment will remain family friendly.
“It’s just a cool outdoor space where you can bring your dog or bring your kids, enjoy a beer and have a good time downtown,” Velasco said.
Mike McCombs is the editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.
