Jason goes on the record — no sugarcoating.
I gave you an interview with real feelings. No sugarcoating. Straight from the heart. Use what you want.
VoyageSTL's Hidden Gems series invited Jason to tell his story in his own words. He took them up on it — candidly — and gave one of the most honest small-business interviews you'll read.
The piece covers the 2005 origin (a Discover card cash advance bought the first cart), the expansion to five Home Depot locations, opening the O'Fallon restaurant in 2017, and the hard pivots that came with COVID and its aftermath. Jason talks about reopening the dining room during the shutdown, Kay leaving her nursing career to help full-time, the staffing struggles of 2022 onward, and the Texas friend who gifted him the food trailer that reshaped the business in 2024.
When asked what sets Dirty Dogz apart, Jason's answer was simple: family-owned, 100% Black Angus custom-made hot dogs, everything cooked to order, and a focus on service and cleanliness. Over 20 years in business. His wife and two daughters work beside him.
The whole piece is worth a read if you want a real small-business story — not the polished version.