A Specical Section of:
Red Hot Summer
Author: By Ashleigh Livingston | 
For many people that live in the North Country, michigans are synonymous with summer. Though some local establishments serve these craveable, specialty hot dogs year round, the crowds still gather every year when Plattsburgh’s seasonal michigan stands temporarily open their doors for another season in the sun.
To those that have never tried them, they may resemble the common chilidog. But to those that love michigans, they are a tradition and a must have of the summer (if not all year round).
Michigans, or Texas red hots as they are sometimes called, consist of a hot dog tucked into a steamed bun, topped with spicy, yet sweet, ground beef sauce with the option of onions. For the most part, they are only available in Plattsburgh, and it is likely that if a person tried to order one anywhere else, he or she would have little success.
As Terry Spiegel, owner of Clare and Carl’s michigan stand, puts it, “Nobody from Texas knows what a michigan is, [and] no one from Michigan knows what a michigan is.”
So why are they called michigans? Why not new yorks? Legend has it that they are named for the woman who helped conceive one of the first michigan sauce recipes. She was from Michigan. As for where the name Texas red hots came from, “Not a clue,” says Spiegel.
Here’s a roundup of some of Plattsburgh’s michigan stands, all of which offer traditional car-hop service, so customers don’t even have to exit their vehicle to enjoy a full-service meal.
CLARE AND CARL’S
Started in 1942 by Clare and Carl Warne, this popular michigan stand is still at its original location on Route 9 in Plattsburgh, and still opens seasonally to serve up michigans using Clare’s original sauce recipe.
“Clare passed [the recipe] to her grandson Michael [Spiegel], who bought the business in 1978, and when Michael passed away, I became the owner,” says Spiegel, Michael’s wife.
She has since opened a second location on Dock Street in Plattsburgh, which is currently in its fifth season. She credits Clare and Carl’s loyal customer base with the business’ 68 years of success.
“Everybody tries a michigan from all the different places, and everyone has their favorite, and a lot of people obviously like mine,” says Spiegel.
She adds that only being opened seasonally makes for exciting opening days at Clare and Carl’s.
“Opening Clare and Carl’s is always a big thing. It means spring has arrived for a lot of people…Not everyone wants a michigan all year round, so it makes it special when you do open,” she says.
CLARE AND CARLS - LOCATIONS
4727 State Route 9
Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901
Open: Last week in March to sometime in
October (depending on weather)
2 Dock Street
Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901
Open: Memorial Day to Labor Day
RONNIE’S MICHIGANS
Ronnie’s Michigan Stand on Route 3 in Plattsburgh was first opened in 1959 by Ronnie Jette. Like Clare and Carl’s, Ronnie’s is seasonal and remains at its original location. Though it was purchased in 1986 by Kenny Mousseau, Ronnie’s still makes its michigan sauce following Jette’s original recipe, says Peggy Rabideau, who has managed the michigan stand since 1986.
Though it does contain ground beef like other michigan sauces, Ronnie’s sauce strays from the norm.
“Ours is a tomato-based sauce instead of a sauce that has a lot of spicyness to it. It’s made with tomato products, and it’s a secret recipe,” says Rabideau.
Because the sauce is so unique, Rabideau says she doesn’t feel there is a lot of competition between Ronnie’s and other michigan stands.
“We have customers that eat there, and they have customers that eat here,” she says. “The flavors are totally different.”
Competition or not, 51 years of business is proof that Ronnie’s has found its niche in the community.
“It’s just such a tradition,” says Rabideau.
“We have so many regular customers that just love coming. We have customers that sometimes are here for lunch and sometimes for supper. It’s amazing.”
RONNIES MICHIGANS - LOCATIONS
1265 State Route 3
Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901
Open: Sometime in April to sometime in October (depending on weather)
MCSWEENEY’S RED HOTS
Established in the early 1990s by Stephen and Michael Farrell, McSweeney’s is the baby of the bunch, but has nonetheless made a name for itself.
“People like [what our sauce] tastes like,” says Stephen Farrell. “I can’t speak for other people’s sauces, but I know that [with] our sauce, we try to be consistent with what we do, and people like that.”
The two brothers first served their michigans at the Clinton County Fair in 1990, and built their first stand on route 9 in Plattsburgh the following year, says Farrell. They have since expanded their business to include two more locations in Plattsburgh, and unlike Ronnie’s and Clare and Carl’s, two of McSweeney’s locations are open year round. Despite harsh North Country winters, McSweeney’s even offers car-hop service throughout the entire year.
“When it’s 20 below [zero], we get those red hots to our customers,” Farrell says.
MCSWEENEY’S RED HOTS - LOCATIONS
600 State Route 3
Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901
Open: Year round
4704 State Route 9
Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901
Open: Summer months only
7067 State Route 9,
Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901
Open: Year round
To those that have never tried them, they may resemble the common chilidog. But to those that love michigans, they are a tradition and a must have of the summer (if not all year round).
Michigans, or Texas red hots as they are sometimes called, consist of a hot dog tucked into a steamed bun, topped with spicy, yet sweet, ground beef sauce with the option of onions. For the most part, they are only available in Plattsburgh, and it is likely that if a person tried to order one anywhere else, he or she would have little success.
As Terry Spiegel, owner of Clare and Carl’s michigan stand, puts it, “Nobody from Texas knows what a michigan is, [and] no one from Michigan knows what a michigan is.”
So why are they called michigans? Why not new yorks? Legend has it that they are named for the woman who helped conceive one of the first michigan sauce recipes. She was from Michigan. As for where the name Texas red hots came from, “Not a clue,” says Spiegel.
Here’s a roundup of some of Plattsburgh’s michigan stands, all of which offer traditional car-hop service, so customers don’t even have to exit their vehicle to enjoy a full-service meal.
CLARE AND CARL’S
Started in 1942 by Clare and Carl Warne, this popular michigan stand is still at its original location on Route 9 in Plattsburgh, and still opens seasonally to serve up michigans using Clare’s original sauce recipe.
“Clare passed [the recipe] to her grandson Michael [Spiegel], who bought the business in 1978, and when Michael passed away, I became the owner,” says Spiegel, Michael’s wife.
She has since opened a second location on Dock Street in Plattsburgh, which is currently in its fifth season. She credits Clare and Carl’s loyal customer base with the business’ 68 years of success.
“Everybody tries a michigan from all the different places, and everyone has their favorite, and a lot of people obviously like mine,” says Spiegel.
She adds that only being opened seasonally makes for exciting opening days at Clare and Carl’s.
“Opening Clare and Carl’s is always a big thing. It means spring has arrived for a lot of people…Not everyone wants a michigan all year round, so it makes it special when you do open,” she says.
CLARE AND CARLS - LOCATIONS
4727 State Route 9
Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901
Open: Last week in March to sometime in
October (depending on weather)
2 Dock Street
Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901
Open: Memorial Day to Labor Day
RONNIE’S MICHIGANS
Ronnie’s Michigan Stand on Route 3 in Plattsburgh was first opened in 1959 by Ronnie Jette. Like Clare and Carl’s, Ronnie’s is seasonal and remains at its original location. Though it was purchased in 1986 by Kenny Mousseau, Ronnie’s still makes its michigan sauce following Jette’s original recipe, says Peggy Rabideau, who has managed the michigan stand since 1986.
Though it does contain ground beef like other michigan sauces, Ronnie’s sauce strays from the norm.
“Ours is a tomato-based sauce instead of a sauce that has a lot of spicyness to it. It’s made with tomato products, and it’s a secret recipe,” says Rabideau.
Because the sauce is so unique, Rabideau says she doesn’t feel there is a lot of competition between Ronnie’s and other michigan stands.
“We have customers that eat there, and they have customers that eat here,” she says. “The flavors are totally different.”
Competition or not, 51 years of business is proof that Ronnie’s has found its niche in the community.
“It’s just such a tradition,” says Rabideau.
“We have so many regular customers that just love coming. We have customers that sometimes are here for lunch and sometimes for supper. It’s amazing.”
RONNIES MICHIGANS - LOCATIONS
1265 State Route 3
Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901
Open: Sometime in April to sometime in October (depending on weather)
MCSWEENEY’S RED HOTS
Established in the early 1990s by Stephen and Michael Farrell, McSweeney’s is the baby of the bunch, but has nonetheless made a name for itself.
“People like [what our sauce] tastes like,” says Stephen Farrell. “I can’t speak for other people’s sauces, but I know that [with] our sauce, we try to be consistent with what we do, and people like that.”
The two brothers first served their michigans at the Clinton County Fair in 1990, and built their first stand on route 9 in Plattsburgh the following year, says Farrell. They have since expanded their business to include two more locations in Plattsburgh, and unlike Ronnie’s and Clare and Carl’s, two of McSweeney’s locations are open year round. Despite harsh North Country winters, McSweeney’s even offers car-hop service throughout the entire year.
“When it’s 20 below [zero], we get those red hots to our customers,” Farrell says.
MCSWEENEY’S RED HOTS - LOCATIONS
600 State Route 3
Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901
Open: Year round
4704 State Route 9
Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901
Open: Summer months only
7067 State Route 9,
Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901
Open: Year round
