"In Ukraine, they are at every gas station, and it is associated with you going somewhere. It is a snack for you and the whole family. [We thought,] 'what can we bring here that people would like [and] think is cool,' And it was like, hot dogs."
"We brought the whole family, and bought 20 different sausages. We cooked them, and everyone put their star - four stars, five stars - and we had a vote."
Vitalii and Andrei Zherikh, 35-year-old Ukrainian twins, opened Twin Hot Dogs in Brighton Beach on November 18, 2025. After immigrating to New York following Ukraine's full-scale invasion, the brothers worked in construction across the United States and identified a gap in American gas station offerings: quality vertical hot dogs. In Ukraine, these hot dogs are ubiquitous at gas stations and represent a cultural ritual associated with travel and family snacking. The twins spent six months preparing their shop, prioritizing quality ingredients and affordability. They conducted extensive tastings with family members to select the best sausages and sourced a European automatic coffee maker. Their business reflects both their Ukrainian heritage and their commitment to serving the Brighton Beach immigrant community.
#ukrainian-immigration #small-business-entrepreneurship #brighton-beach-community #food-culture #gas-station-cuisine
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