Who Remembers the Iconic Sioux Falls 'Dancing Hot Dog'?

Like most cities, Sioux Falls is filled full of iconic landmarks. Some of the biggies have to be The Falls, St. Joeseph's Cathedral, The Statue of David, The State Theater, The Empire Mall, Mr. Bendo, the list just goes on and on, and on.

If you grew up in Sioux Falls for about a 20-year period that ranged from the late 60s to the mid-80s, one of the most iconic things in the city during that time was the "Dancing Hot Dog." Chances are you undoubtedly remember that sign that graced East 10th Street out in front of Frosty Treat.

It was a large neon sign outside one of the city's favorite fast food stops that featured a sausage wearing a top hat that had feet that were dancing over a flickering flame. You couldn't miss it if your commute took you down East 10th Street back in the day.

Get our free mobile app

Jill Callison said it best in an article she wrote recently for Pigeon 605, "Kids and adults never missed the chance to crane their heads out the window of their cars to see the dancing hot dog if your route took you down East 10th Steet."

Like Jill, I too have a lot of great memories of going to Frosty Treat in the 70s and Taco Rita as it was renamed in the early 80s. I remember them for having some of the absolute best soft-serve ice cream and malts in town. Those babies really hit the spot during the summer months after a softball game.

As Jill mentioned in her story for Pigeon 605, Frosty Treat had quite the reputation here in Sioux Falls for sponsoring softball teams. Numerous kids throughout the Sioux Empire could be seen wearing Frosty Treat T-shirts that were given to their teams by the popular restaurant.

I was surprised to learn after reading the Pigeon 605 story that several decades later the iconic dancing hot sign has been given a new life again.

Don and Rita Huber who purchased Frosty Treat back in 1959 from Vern and Erna Mutton commissioned Pride Neon to create a large, flashy sign for Frosty Treat in the mid-60s. That's when the original dancing hot dog was born.

According to Pigeon 605, the neon sign would dance each night on East 10th Street until the mid-80s. Don Huber sold Taco Rita in 1985, and the newly created Neon Diner opened up in that spot.

The iconic sign was eventually retired and word has it that it was taken to a graveyard for old signs to be scrapped.

As Pigeon 605 reports, several decades later, David Huber, the son of Don and Rita Huber commissioned Pride Neon to bring the sign back to life again after his brother Mike Huber saw a segment on South Dakota Public Broadcasting that talked about the dancing hot sign being one of the best signs Pride Neon ever created.

The gang at Pride Neon was thrilled to take on the challenge of creating yet another neon dancing hot dog sign according to Pigeon 605 and now some 38 years later, the newly created 34 X 29-inch dancing hot dog greets everyone who walks into David Huber's State Farm Insurance Office in Normal, Illinois.

Pigeon 605 (with permission)

Huber told Pigeon 605 he has the dream of possibly returning the iconic reimagined sign back to Sioux Falls one day to a business or museum for them to put on display for the residents of the Sioux Empire to enjoy all over again.

You can read Jill's entire story about the iconic Frosty Treat dancing hot dog in Pigeon 605. It's chocked-full of great memories and pictures from the Huber family and it will definitely have long-time Sioux Falls residents strolling down memory lane.

Source: Pigeon 605

Dives Worth a Drive in South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota

Almost every small South Dakota town has a watering hole. It’s where the locals go to kick back a few brews and engage in conversation.

Some of these establishments are located in buildings almost as old as the town itself. There might be a fresh coat of paint on the walls or new vinyl on the booth seats, but the ambiance is still reminiscent of a good ol’ dive.

If you think a "dive" is all about the sketchy clientele, the smell of the Devil’s lettuce, and stale Grain Belt, you’d be wrong. Not every dive has a bad reputation.

What makes a dive, a dive?

A dive has character. Neon beer signs and local memorabilia adorn the walls.

You might find a pool table, dart board, and a few video lottery machines.

The bartender knows the regulars by name and they know what you drink.

Some dives don't even serve food except for bags of chips and pickled eggs that sit in a jar of brine on the bar.

Dives aren't fancy. You might see 70's-style wood panels on the walls and wobbly tables leveled with a folded napkin.

Finally, the bathrooms. The bathrooms in dives are in a class by themselves and could be a whole topic on its own.

There are several small-town dives in our area with friendly faces, cheap booze with a burn, and even really good food! We use the term "dive" in the most affectionate way.

Here are some of the best and why you should go there.

Check Out This 1962 Listing of Sioux Falls Bars and Restaurants - Do You Remember Any?

Check out this collection of Sioux Falls bars and restaurants. We have Giovanni's Steak House, The Rainbow Bar, Harry's Hamburgers, Eagle Bar and Lounge, Pancake House, Nickel Plate, and more. Do you remember any of them? Or how long any lasted?