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By Jada Haynes

ALBANY — Jimmie’s Hot Dogs is an Albany institution. The restaurant’s history surrounds you as soon as you walk through its door.

On the walls, newspaper and magazine articles offer documentation of the restaurant’s history. There are autographed photos of local football players and coaches — some famous beyond the city’s limits — attesting the superiority of Jimmie’s dogs. And a few original store signs are strategically located behind the counter.

There is no place to sit down in Jimmie’s, but the employees take care of that by preparing and serving the food efficiently. Because Jimmie’s has been around since the 1940s, there is an air of familiarity about it.

“If your mother or your dad or your granddaddy were getting hot dogs here and they come here today,” said Tommy Mathes, the current manager of Jimmie’s Hot Dogs, “things have been upgraded a little bit where it’s not falling apart. It’s clean and still in the same place and still almost the same way it was back when they were younger.”

This dining institution has changed hands a few times since its opening. Jimmie Baltas was the original owner. When he was 16 years old, he made the journey from Greece to Lowell, Mass. Eventually, he made his way down to Georgia to establish a successful hot dog stand.

“Now, the guy that he sold it to was Phillip Poulos,” Mathes explained. “Phillip sold it to one of his relatives, Sam Poulos.”

Sam and his brother-in-law had a falling out, which resulted in the brother-in-law opening the Hot Dog King and Sam selling his restaurant for personal reasons. Mathes bought the business from Sam Poulos in 1992.

Toasted buns and an assortment of toppings are staples of Jimmie’s Hot Dogs. After Mathes took over, he found a way to expand the options while also keeping Jimmie’s traditions alive.

Asked if the restaurant had a house specialty, Mathes spared no details.

“Really, most people come for the (toasted bread and) chili,” he answered. “When I bought it, there was nothing in here except chili dogs, with onions and without onions. So, back somewhere in the early ’90s, a little after I bought it, I added cheese, and (cole) slaw and relish to the menu.

“And I want to say my price is right, too.”

Unable to resist the temptation of this assignment, my meal included two chili cheese dogs, a soda and a Big Texas cinnamon roll. The toasted buns have a slightly chewy texture in a way that first-time visitors may not be expecting, but will certainly enjoy. The hot dogs were cooked thoroughly and were flavorful. There is a unique flavor to a Jimmie’s dog that, once you’ve experienced it, you’ll always have a taste for it.

As for the future of Jimmie’s Hot Dogs, Mathes said he is keen on the idea of keeping the place true to its history.

“Hopefully in the near future, I’ll have another Jimmie’s Hot Dogs with a drive-thru,” he said. “But this place, Lord willing, as long as we can keep it like this, it’s not gonna change. Yeah, that’s Jimmie’s: history, tradition, Albany, Georgia. We’re just a little old hot dog stand that’s still here.”

Jimmie’s Hot Dogs is located at 204 S. Jackson St. Hungry customers can call in orders at (229) 435-4751.