If you’ve felt like something was missing on Roosevelt Drive in Derby near the Seymour border this week, you are correct.
That familiar silver food truck, with its hand-written menu, U.S. flag, and that prominent oversized hot dog, was not there.
That’s because its operator, Richard Nichols, died Sunday. He was 73.
Nichols and his food truck — “Nichols Dog House” — were a staple on Roosevelt Drive across from McConney Farm in Derby.
As mourners gathered Tuesday to pay their respects at Nichols’ wake, his family parked the “Dog House” outside the Bennett Funeral Home on North Cliff Street in Ansonia and gave out hot dogs.
How else to remember a guy affectionately nicknamed “The Hot Dog Man?”
“It was one last hot dog for the road,” said Linda Zalinsky, a relative.
Nichols served up his locally famous franks, cheese steak sandwiches, and secret-recipe chili for 40 years.
Rain, snow, sleet — it didn’t matter. Nichols enjoyed his customers. It was about the people, his family said.
He “never had a bad customer, and never had a bad day,” said his daughter, Debbie Gonzales.
And those customers? They loved him, too. Click here to read generations of Valley residents share their thoughts.
The past year had been tough, as Nichols developed health problems.
“Over the past year he lost quite a few (older) friends. That was hard for him,” Gonzales said.
Longtime customer and friend Karen Hughes grew up in Derby near Nichols’ spot on Roosevelt Drive.
Having his truck outside his wake, where mourners dined on hot dogs and soda, was poignant.
“The truck was so much a part of his life. He would have been happy to have that truck there,” she said.
Nichols was “a really, really nice guy. He was always happy and smiling,” Zalinsky said. She said it’s sad to drive by Nichols’ spot on the side of the road and not see the old truck.
But have no fear. The dog house will return.
Gonzales said her son, Shaun Gonzales, 23, will carry on the food truck. The tradition will continue, the family says.
“He’s really excited to keep it up,” Gonzales said.
Nichols, born in Shelton in 1942, was predeceased by his wife, Lola. He is survived by three daughters, Gonzales, Penny Marganski and Billie Jo Nichols of Ansonia, and two sons, Paul, of Naugatuck and Rich, of Terryville.
