Passion helps him relish the community

 Jimmy Park is a pretty passionate guy.

He’s passionate about his family.

He’s passionate about hot dogs.

He’s passionate about living in Buffalo Grove.

So, when he had the chance to buy “Wiener Take All” in the Creekside Commons Plaza, 1117 Weiland Road, a year ago, it was a decision driven by passion.

Jimmy Park

“Local hot dog stands are a dying breed,” Park says. By acquiring Wiener Take All last year, he not only took over a hot dog stand, but a Buffalo Grove icon that has been around since 1987. Aside from the bill of fare that runs the gamut from hot dogs to chicken sandwiches, what gives Park energy, as if he needs any more, is the opportunity to be a local business operator and support the community.

You get a sense of his commitment to Buffalo Grove just by looking on the walls at Wiener Take All.  If you’re looking for Chicago sports memorabilia, you won’t find any. What you will find is a collection of local high school jerseys. “Anyone can put up a (Patrick) Kane jersey,” Park says. “But these are kids (whose jerseys adorn the walls) that I know.” Park sponsored four teams in the Buffalo Grove Recreation Association (BGRA) this year, says it is just second nature.

Stevenson jerseys on the wall

“I have been living here for 14 years and have been a customer for 14 years and have been bringing my family (he has two daughters, age 6 and 13, who attend Tripp Elementary and Aptakisic Junior High School) here for 14 years; I wanted to enhance the local flavor of a local business,” he says.

And giving back to the community and those who serve it is why he’ll be giving a free hot dog, small order of fries and drink to veterans, active military personnel, police officers, fire fighters and other frontline healthcare workers this Sunday (Nov. 8). And he won’t be doing it for 60 or 90 minutes – he’ll say thanks to those who serve as long as Wiener Take All is open – which is from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

For Park, it’s just part of his passion for being a local business man. “People love this place,” he says, “they have for 34 years. This place is special.”

While he likes to tout the food, and what restaurant owner wouldn’t, he doesn’t overlook the crew, Al Aguilar and Victor Brito, who man the gill at Wiener Take All. They share Park’s passion – or maybe it’s the other way around – because after all, Aguilar has been at Wiener Take all for 33 years while Brito for 14. “These guys are amazing,” Park says, “Al is a Wiener Take All favorite, many customers visit him on a daily basis, he’s a true BG staple. It seems as if every kid growing up playing BGRA now comes in with their own kids and he relates to them as ‘I remember you when you weren’t even able to reach the counter,’” Park says. “He’s made a lot of memories and friends.”

Park says that after working in corporate restaurants, he wanted to be his own boss. And given his energy and passion, it seems to be a good match.