A New Twist on Weiners: Biker Jim’s
Chris Arneson
It’s probably safe to say that if someone recommended the street wieners on 16th Street Mall, your mind might go a few other places first — and that’s exactly what Biker Jim wants.
Jim Pittenger loves a good wiener joke, and he’s been “putting a twist on your wiener since 2005” — that’s his company’s slogan. But Biker Jim isn’t some leather daddy lurking around the free mall ride. He sells, without a doubt, some of the best street-style sausages in the city.
His cart, which hangs out at 16th and Arapahoe downtown, has been an indispensable part of the downtown mall since its inception nearly a decade ago. Jim, an Alaskan native and former repo man, attributes the gig to a leap of faith … and, really, an excuse to grill up some reindeer.
“I didn’t run into a lot of resistance, so it felt like I was doing the right thing,” Jim reminisces. “I’m a lucky guy.”
Biker Jim’s isn’t your everyday hot dog stand. The daily meats include selections like reindeer, elk, and boar. On What The ##%$%!! Wednesday, Jim breaks out stuff like rattlesnake, ostrich, and alligator.
“It’s interesting and fun to see what I can surprise people with,” Jim says. “Weird is one thing, tasting good is another. You have to top it right.”
His most popular wiener is the Elk Jalapeño Cheddar Brat. He also offers vegan options, thanks to his wife.
“We’re the only restaurant that sells veal but gets a thumbs up from vegans,” he jokes.
Jim’s signature topping is grilled onions and cream cheese, but there’s a plethora of others to add to your dog. His cart also offers sides of chips and soda. If you visit the restaurant, you can eat deep-fried mac and cheese or even a deep-fried horseradish habanero pickle. He says if you’re a pickle fan, you won’t look back.
I talked to Jim, a self-proclaimed Hot Dog Ninja, the day after he celebrated the four-year anniversary of his store, which is just a few blocks further north of his cart on Arapahoe.
“The coolest thing is all these people are making a living because I wanted to sell hot dogs on a street corner,” he enthused.
One of his favorite quotes to describe his business style comes from the blog Shit My Dad Says: “There’s only two good professions in the world: helping people shit or helping people f*ck,” Jim recalls. “Helping people shit is important.”
Lately, Jim says, a lot of catering has gone street-food style, so his business has gone nuts. He’s supplied for Chipotle’s 15th Anniversary as well as huge companies like Google and DISH Network. His favorite nonprofit to work with is Project Angel Heart through Dining Out for Life. During that time, a portion of your meal at the restaurant goes to the cause.
According to Jim, if you mention his wiener slogan, you might snag a free item at his shop.
You can catch his food cart on 16th Street Mall at Larimer across from the clocktower. Usually he’s there from about 10am until 3pm, maybe later if it’s nice out. There’s also a cart weekdays at the Auraria Campus on the Tivoli Commons.
Book him @ BikerJimsDogs.com
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