New owner plans to preserve the legacy of this longtime Wilmington hotdog restaurant

A lot has changed along Carolina Beach Road near the state port since 1966. Back then it was a new frontier – or so said Elbert Bradshaw, who opened Frontier Food to Go in a red trailer near the corner of Shipyard Boulevard with the help of his wife, Pat. He could see the potential at the busy transportation center.

And he was right. In the early days of the growing neighborhood, and attractions like a circus nearby, Frontier served breakfast, lunch and dinner. At one point, he had three locations for the to-go restaurant that’s become a favorite, especially for hotdogs. But now only this one remains.

Bradshaw’s granddaughter, Beth Dowless, took over the restaurant in 2014 because she said it was where she learned her work ethic and love of the business. Since then, she’s tried to keep things the same, from prices to products.

“There’s a lot of nostalgia here for people,” she said. “And I understand that.”

Recently, though, having a young family and health issues have made her reconsider being in a hot kitchen day after day.

“It was really important to me to find someone who cared about it the way I did,” she said. “Someone that would treat it the way I do.”

She believes she found that person in Todd Champion.

“The last thing I want to do is sully the legacy,” he said. “I believe in this area. My mom lived in Sunset Park when she was little, my grandparents had a house here. And my great-grandparents had a house here in the ’50s.”

And while he operates several businesses, Champion also has restaurant experience in pizzerias and with the former Vittles food truck.

More: In the face of change, one Wilmington neighborhood fights to maintain its identity

Those who have been following along with Frontier may have noticed some changes that have taken place since the beginning of the year. There’s more of a social media presence. The trailer now closes at 8 p.m., rather than 3 p.m. And there’s been some new items added to the menu of burgers and 'dogs, including a fried bologna sandwich. But he’s being careful about what he’s doing. He said he had to change the coleslaw at Frontier for a few weeks because of a supply issue.

“People lost their minds,” he said. “It was Slawgate.”

He’s being careful and also making sure to talk to customers who come to grab a bite and sit at one of the picnic tables at 2633 Carolina Beach Road. So far, it's going pretty well, aside from the slaw incident. People from all walks of life are stepping up to the window to order. And even the new sandwich has been well received.

A lot of longtime customers are also worried about the increase in prices, Champion said. That’s something that Dowless had to do only twice when she was operating the restaurant.

“Our prices are so good,” Champion said. “I’m not going to change the prices. I’m trying to raise the sales.”

Frontier got busier during the pandemic, because it was ideally suited for take-out. And they've added a food truck, which is currently getting permitted. Those moves, plus opening for longer hours, in perhaps more locations should do the trick, he said.

And even though Champion is taking over, Dowless will likely still be in the loop about what’s happening with Frontier. They have become friends.

“He really cares about preserving what Frontier is,” she said.

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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Frontier Food to Go restaurant in Wilmington, NC, has new owner