Family revives former Tommy’s in Jackson with barbecue - and, by popular demand, hot dogs

JACKSON, MI — Tommy’s Hot Dogs was known as “Jackson’s most widely unknown local landmark ” before owner Tommy Boadgieff’s death in 2019.

Now, a Jackson couple is hoping to bring back its no-frills, humble history — with barbecue.

In July, Lee and Dorothy Whitehead opened D&L Bar-B-Que in the kitchen attached to the former home of Boadgieff at 510 Detroit St. in Jackson.

The business had been vacant since Boadgieff’s death, until Whitehead’s son Erroll purchased the property and kitchen in 2022. Lee, who retired from Hillcrest Memorial Park in Blackman Township, joked Erroll bought the house so he and Dorothy could open a restaurant.

“He (Erroll) said, ‘Guess what, dad, you’re going back to work,’” Lee said. “We didn’t go into hot dogs because it would be suicide to open a hot dog s