The City of Paterson is set to auction the building that was Libby’s Lunch, the local landmark that for 84 years served up one of the city’s most treasured inventions, the Hot Texas Wiener.
Paterson, which owns the building and the lot, has contracted with Max Spann Auctions, to sell the property. A one-day online auction is scheduled to start April 29.
Although Libby’s didn’t invent the Hot Texas Wiener (that honor goes to another Paterson hot dog stand in the 1920s), the restaurant’s ideal location on McBride Avenue — just above Paterson’s Great Falls — certainly helped make it a popular destination for the indulgent eats. People have come from all over the world to see the majestic Great Falls, and many of them stopped in to Libby’s to eat lunch with locals.
Besides the usual fare of burgers and fries, Libby’s offered the Hot Texas Wiener “all the way” — a deep-fried dog with spicy mustard, chopped onions, and their own special blend of chili sauce. Other lunch spots in Passaic County offered Hot Texas Wieners, but what made each place different was the chili sauce.
Libby’s closed on July 31, 2020, when its lease expired, owing the city $93,000 in back rent, according to published reports. The building has been empty and boarded up ever since.
Now city officials are hoping to attract another restauranteur to take advantage of Libby’s postcard-worthy location.
Although no minimum bid has been set, “We’re hoping to fetch $1 million,” Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh said. For him, the ideal buyer would be interested in building a “restaurant, cafe, or boutique hotel.”
Sayegh’s goal is to build the Great Falls National Historical Park into a world-class tourist destination. Historic Hinchliffe Stadium, which overlooks the falls, reopened last year after a $110 million restoration and is now the home of the New Jersey Jackals.
A museum dedicated to the Negro League baseball players who competed at Hinchliffe is scheduled to open on April 11. The new riverwalk at the Great Falls national park will open in June, Sayegh said.
The Great Falls draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. But what’s missing is a place to eat and drink – which is why the Libby’s tract is so important.
“It’s the final piece of the puzzle,” Sayegh said. The Paterson City Council has the power to accept or reject bids, and any proposal would be subject to the approval of the planning board, Sayegh said.
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Richard Cowen may be reached at rcowen@njadvancemedia.com.
