Hot Dog Kiosk

Hot Dog Kiosk

King of Prussia Mall
King of Prussia, PA
1962- 1970


My parents had six kids in seven years.  And during that time, my dad worked full time and went to law school at night.  Then he opened a private practice after he graduated.  Both my parents worked hard and money was tight during these times.  But that didn't stop my parents from giving us an eclectic experience of cultures and outings.

During Easter break each year, my mother and grandparents took us to the King of Prussia mall for the day. We all piled in the station wagon and my mom talked about the little French restaurant where we would have lunch.

"It's just like they eat in Paris.  It's a little restaurant and we will get our food and sit outside just like they do in Paris.  It will be like a little picnic. It will be so much fun," she would tell us.

And it was fun even though it was just a little hot dog kiosk.  It did feel like we were in Paris even though several of us didn't know where Paris was.  But it felt special and it felt like we were eating in some distant land.

Once we started learning geography, the little hot dog stand didn't have as much appeal.  But as a 7 year old, it was fun to image that I was sitting on the Left Bank, just like the Parisians.