You’ve passed it walking to Strozier. You’ve stopped to grab a lemonade after walking up the Diffenbaugh hill. It is the go-to spot to grab a quick and cheap bite to eat. You guessed it: Mom and Pop’s. Mom and Pop’s has been around FSU’s campus for 22 years. I chatted with Carrie Woodson over a hot dog and got the scoop on how Mom and Pop’s came to be. Woodson is the daughter-in-law of Ronnie and Ruby Woodson, who started the business. The stands are kept in the family, as a different family member runs each stand.
Her Campus (HC): Do you run Mom and Pop’s?
Carrie Woodson (CW): My in-laws, Ronnie and Ruby Woodson, run the stand by Strozier, they’re the ones who started Mom and Pop’s. I’ve been here for 16 years. It’s not what I went to school for, but I truly do love what I do every day.
HC: How did they get the idea to get started with Mom and Pop’s?
CW: They had several stands around town. One was a hot chocolate stand; they’ve also worked the fair. My mother-in-law set up a hot dog and lemonade stand across from the fine arts building. When the man was ready to retire that had the stand by Strozier around the early ‘90s, he asked my mother-in-law if she wanted the contract, and that’s how we came in. It’s been about 22 years since.
Courtesy: Tallahassee Daily Photo
HC: Do you have any regulars?
CW: We have lots of regulars.
HC: Any funny stories that you can share?
CW: My favorite story is one time a bride was getting married in town, and she and her bridesmaids stopped by our stand on the way to her rehearsal dinner because she and her fiancé met in front of this stand seven years before. It was really cute. They met over hot dogs.
HC: What is your favorite menu item?
CW: I like the sausage dogs.
HC: If you could expand the menu, what would you consider doing?
CW: I would probably like to do soups in the winter, but I haven’t quite figured it out. I just don’t have enough room right now.
HC: How long has each stand been around?
CW: The stand by Diffenbaugh has been around for about 20 years. Strozier has been here for 22 years. My husband runs the one by the Health and Wellness Center. That one has been there for about eight years. But he used to be in front of the stadium.
HC: Have you ever thought about putting more stands around campus?
CW: We don’t have any more family members!
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