75-Year-Old Tail O’ the Pup Stand Reopens Next Year in West Hollywood

The historic Tail O’ the Pup stand is almost ready for its (West) Hollywood close up once again. The timeless walk-up stand, shaped like a hot dog inside of a large bun, is set to be reborn in 2022 thanks to the 1933 Group, a historically-minded restaurant and nightlife consortium that loves to adapt and renew around Los Angeles. And while the stand won’t return to its original location along La Cienega, will be close by — and will now feature a beer garden in addition to all those dogs.

The 1933 Group announced plans this morning for the return of the long-gestating stand sometime next year. What’s more, the group says they’ll be planting the stand at 8512 Santa Monica Boulevard along West Hollywood’s busy Route 66 stretch, giving a sense of timelessness back to the stand since it closed years ago. The 2,700 square foot property was for years a restaurant under the name Benvenuto Cafe, though old-timers will know the address as a former recording studio for the Doors and other famous LA acts from decades past.

While there’s no firm date for opening Tail O’ the Pup just yet, ownership now feels close enough to the finish line to announce a revival for sometime next year. That’s no small feat, considering the stand’s origins date all the way back 1946; bringing a project like that up to current-day speed takes time, as evidenced by the years of work and one-off pop-ups done by the group since they bought the stand in the first place. Once all is said and done, though, the group plans to add it to its arsenal of retro-chic spaces like the Highland Park Bowl, the Formosa Cafe, and Idle Hour up in North Hollywood.

Fans love the Tail O’ the Pup stand not only for its history but its look. The hot dog shape that signifies, as a design, what the building sells inside, is known as programmatic architecture (or novelty architecture), and was popular 75 years ago across Southern California. Enduring examples include the tamale building, and the former home of Shunji in West LA which used to house a location of bygone chain Chili Bowl. Expect an opening for Tail O’ the Pup at 8512 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood next year.

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