Issue date: 9/5/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Sean Gordon / Daily Lobo Bob Reilling, owner of Bob's Hot Dogs, works at his stand Wednesday.

When Bob Reilling set up his hot dog stand a few steps from the Frontier Restaurant, he thought only his signature bratwursts would be in hot water.

However, Larry Rainosek, founder and manager of the Frontier Restaurant, asked Reilling to relocate his hot dog stand from Cornell Avenue, claiming he was in violation of city law.

"I was trying to solve it myself, because I know the city people have a lot on their plate," Rainosek said.

But Reilling didn't have relocating in mind.

"Rainosek said he was hoping we could come to some kind of mutual agreement which involved me moving to somewhere else," Reilling said. "To me that was kind of odd, because I don't see how that agreement would be mutual."

Rainosek said the hot dog stand cluttered the street and its customers make a mess.

According to the Albuquerque Planning Department, Reilling is within his rights as a sidewalk vendor as long as he leaves four feet of space for pedestrian traffic.

However, Rainosek said he thinks the hot dog stand congests the already busy sidewalk on Cornell.

"When he sets up his hot dog cart, the sidewalk gets bottled up," Rainosek said. "In the area of the intersection, it's really all needed."

Reilling said he has all the necessary permits and licenses and more than adequate insurance to handle and distribute food.

"I've gone through a painstaking process to be able to do this," Reilling said. "I have every legal right to be here."

Reilling said Rainosek installed a bike rack on the curb in order to discourage him from keeping his cart on Cornell.

Rainosek said putting in the rack "could be interpreted that way."

So, on Tuesday, Reilling took his hot dog stand across the street to the sidewalk in front of the Bookstore.

"I'm hoping that (Rainosek) doesn't have the audacity to come over here, though he's been pretty brazen up to this point,"
Reilling said.

Rainosek said UNM should put pressure on Reilling to leave the area.

"We don't want him across the street either, but we don't have the same position we had before," Rainosek said. "I feel that the University should try and discourage him from being there."

Melanie Sparks, director of the UNM Bookstore, said the hot dog stand is not on Bookstore property and is therefore in the jurisdiction of the city.

Reilling said he should be allowed to stay because he isn't taking business from any restaurants in the campus area, including the Frontier.

"That's the bottom line," he said. "Nobody sells hot dogs."

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