J Doggs

After several years of serving their food from a mobile wagon, Amber Arneson and Jeremy Weed have moved J Doggs to a permanent location at 136 South Main Street in Shawano. “Being indoors means we’re no longer at the mercy of the weather,” Amber shared. Now, customers can enjoy their fresh food year-round. Jeremy, the head cook, prepares the chili daily, sometimes even twice a day, using a recipe that has won chili contests. “We’re as fast as we are fresh,” Jeremy added.

The menu features a variety of burgers, including hamburgers, cheeseburgers, Jburgers, bacon cheeseburgers, and mushroom and Swiss burgers. Hot dog options include the Chicago hot dog, Jdogg, taco dog, and regular hot dogs. “People come from Green Bay just for our burgers,” Amber noted. Appetizers range from chips and French fries to chili cheese fries, nachos, cheese curds, walking tacos, and bowls of Jeremy’s award-winning chili. Beverages include beer, non-alcoholic beer, seltzers and coolers, wine, soda, Twig’s glass bottles, and Bill’s Lemonade, which Amber mentioned is a popular choice. They don’t serve liquor, as they aim to maintain a family-friendly atmosphere.

J Doggs began in 2016, named after Jeremy’s former boss who used to call him “J Dogg.” Amber liked the name for their food wagon, and now, eight years later, it has become the name of their new building. They fully remodeled the former Rades Bar & Bowling building, which housed other businesses before them. The space is large enough to accommodate future expansions, including two golf simulators and a putting green in the back. There’s also an ordering station near a perfect replica of their original J Doggs food wagon. Some of the flooring from the old bowling alley has been retained, and the kitchen in the center was designed by Amber. The front features the original bar where customers can also place orders, along with seating across from the bar and by the windows. Nine TVs are scattered throughout the front and back of the building. There’s also space for outdoor seating between J Doggs and the neighboring building, which will be used during the warmer months. The business is fully accessible, with entrances at both the front and back.

Amber and Jeremy faced some delays getting approval for their interior plans, but once cleared, general contractor Chad Laude and Jeremy got to work. At the request of customers, they included a replica of the original food wagon as part of the wall, with a covering made by Kasey Hohn from Dot.com Branding. “It brought the trailer to life,” Jeremy said. With his carpentry background, Jeremy also took charge of the mood lighting, painting, and light fixtures, ensuring everything met his high standards. “I couldn’t have done it without him,” Amber stated.

Amber, originally from Gresham and a graduate of Shawano High School, moved back to Shawano after living in several other states. She has a daughter, Morgan, 26, who also works at J Doggs. Jeremy, from Red Wing, Minnesota, worked in carpentry for many years before moving to Wisconsin. He has three children—Jayde, 22, Jaycee, 19, and Kooper, 10—who also help out at J Doggs.

J Doggs is located at 136 South Main Street, Shawano. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and are closed on Sundays and Mondays. For more information, call 715.701.8000 or visit their Facebook page