A new local food venture is serving up hot dogs, barbecue, and more across Owensboro, blending community interaction with a laid-back approach to small business.
Top Dog Concessions, operated by Owensboro native Danny Goodwin, has begun popping up at festivals, local businesses, and high-traffic spots around town, offering a simple menu anchored by flame-grilled, all-beef hot dogs.
Goodwin said the idea came from a desire to stay active and connect with people while easing into retirement. He launched the endeavor in 2023 shortly after retiring from the military.
“I just had some extra time. I like meeting and greeting people,” Goodwin said. “That’s probably the best part of the whole business scene — the interaction with people.”
Goodwin, a 1980 graduate of Trinity High School in Whitesville and a retired Army veteran with 22 years of service, said the venture also serves as a way to involve his family.
“My grandkids are out here helping me a little bit,” he said. “Trying to teach them how to interact with people and how to be a servant — how to serve people.”
The menu features Hebrew National all-beef hot dogs as its signature item, along with pulled pork, nachos, chips, and drinks. Goodwin also occasionally offers local mutton, grilled corn on the cob, and jumbo pickles, depending on the event.
“I wasn’t much of a hot dog eater until I started selling them,” Goodwin said. “I’ve had people come back after driving a few miles and say, ‘Man, that is the best hot dog I’ve ever eaten.’”
Top Dog Concessions primarily operates as a mobile setup, appearing at festivals and downtown events like Friday After 5. Goodwin also sets up at local businesses by request.
After starting with a tent-style setup, Goodwin recently upgraded to a food trailer, improving efficiency and organization.
“Now I’ve got a trailer that I work out of, and I cook off the back of it,” he said. “It’s a whole lot better for organization.”
The business name, “Top Dog,” is a nod to Goodwin’s military background, where “Top” is a nickname commonly used for a first sergeant.
“That was just the affectionate term of your senior NCO in the Army,” he said.
For Goodwin, the venture remains flexible by design — something he can do on his own schedule while staying connected to the community.
“I can just pick a day when I want to do it, and if I don’t, I just don’t go,” he said.
More information, including locations and upcoming pop-ups, can be found on the business’s Facebook page.
