Five years after horrible accident, Wunder Wiener hot dog stand is set to reopen

Editor's note: Wunder Wiener was originally scheduled to open in June, when this story first published. As of press time, owner Jerry LaCrosse plans to reopen his hot dog stand, which was destroyed when it was struck by a car in 2018, on Saturday, Sept. 16.

It takes a village to raise a hot dog stand — especially one that's meant as much to the Jersey Shore as Jerry (Gerald) LaCrosse's Wunder Wiener, which stood in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township at the former Beachwood Mall Plaza for nearly 35 years.

That was until it was destroyed in June 2018 when an SUV hopped the curb and plowed into the business. LaCrosse, then 74, was inside. After one of the most terrifying experiences of his life — being pinned under a refrigerator and grill, then being airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune for multiple surgeries — the 79-year-old Beachwood resident is ready to feed the masses again.

Wunder Wiener will re-open the weekend of Saturday, June 17 (a week after the fifth anniversary of the accident), in a lot a half mile south of the original location, at 108 Atlantic City Blvd. (Route 9). It's just north of Blackbeard's Cave and the highway's intersection with Stanton Avenue.

To see [everyone] and talk to them again, it’ll be a rebirth,” said LaCrosse, who has undergone intense rehabilitation.

“We [want] to make it like the rise of the phoenix,” added LaCrosse, a city councilman in Beachwood.

The stand will offer all the same made-to-order goodies it did in the past: Italian-style hot dogs, french fries, cheesesteaks and sausage sandwiches. At the grand opening, though, there only will be hot dogs and fries. T-shirts depicting a phoenix rising from the ashes, with a hot dog in its claws, also will be sold.

After announcing the re-opening in 2020, COVID protocols slowed things down. There also were zoning issues regarding parking and other concerns.

“When I went to the planning board [meeting], ... they were so kind to me," he said. "I came in with a packet nearly 3 inches long … and they were like ‘Nope, we’ve got that, … but are you still going to have those Italian-style hot dogs?'

“I thought, ‘You haven’t even voted yet!’ But my heart blew up. My God, they want us back.”

And that support made a difference.

Donuts! Jersey Shore shops celebrate National Donut Day on June 2 with specials, deals

“That was one of the things that got me out of the hospital and through rehab,” he said. “I had support coming from all over the place, hundreds and hundreds of letters — a fundraiser that helped us through months with no income.

"It’s just an incredible thing," he continued. "I wanted so very much to pay these people back, and I thought the best way to do that was to not let it get me, and to re-open."

A lot of volunteers have helped out, LaCrosse said, explaining that local businesses have helped tow the trailer and fill the lot with asphalt.

The Berkeley Police Department helped recover the original Wunder Wiener sign from the accident. It will be displayed at the new stand.

“The Berkeley police made sure they saved it and gave it to me after I got out of rehab a few months after the accident," LaCrosse said.

More BBQ: Get authentic ribs, brisket and more at these Jersey Shore BBQ joints

Around the world: Empanadas, arepas, pupusas and more: These Shore restaurants serve Latin American cuisines

LaCrosse plans to hang plaques at the stand honoring all the companies and individuals who helped out, he said.

One person who offered assistance the night of the accident is always on his mind.

"... There (was) a nurse on her way to work who had a first aid kit," he said. "I didn't know her. I take blood thinners ... I had [intense bleeding and] head damage. I was unconscious. She somehow got inside, and bandaged me up to stop the bleeding. ... I think she saved my life.

"She's in my prayers a lot [because] she's the reason I'm here today," he added. "I'll never forget."

LaCrosse and his family plan to make the most of this new beginning.

"(Reopening Wunder Wiener will) be one of the happiest days of our lives, and I’m going to keep going as long as I can," he said. "I see no reason to retire."

Gabriela L. Laracca joined the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey in 2021 and eagerly brings her passion for cuisine and culture to our readers. Send restaurant tips to glaracca@gannett.com.

Parts of this story were previously published.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Wunder Wiener hot dog stand set to reopen on Route 9