Ronnie's Michigan Stand: Cherished for 65 years

PLATTSBURGH | When the doors opened and the sign was lit at Ronnie's Michigan Stand this spring, customers came in for the 65th year. Their stand on a busy angled intersection in West Plattsburgh was founded in 1959 by Veronica "Ronnie" Jette, who was encouraged to open a restaurant so everyone could enjoy her popular recipe for Michigan sauce. Monique Worley has carried on the tradition since her family purchased Ronnie's enterprise in 1986. "She put in the little curb stop next to her home, it's all still one parcel. She put in a Michigan stand because people liked her sauce so much," Worley said. "Mrs. Jette owned this for 26 years." And on June 20, 1986, at 5 p.m. she passed the tradition on to Ken Mousseau. "We bought the restaurant and we bought her Michigan sauce recipe separately," Worley said. Ronnie's sauce has unique ingredients, a tightly held secret. "Ronnie wanted her kids to eat a healthier hot dog," Worley allowed. "It's a long process to make the sauce and only a handful of people make it." Traditions carried through 65 years incorporate a multi-step process to prepare fresh onions stored above ice. And Ronnie's uses a special Michigan bun baked by Freihofer's Baking Co. They have to be hand-cut from the side, not the top, a measure that helps hold the sauce in place. "It keeps the sauce on the wide, white part of the roll," Worley said. Ronnie's Michigan sauce is a favorite for many locals, and people from this region can have very specific preferences for Michigan sauce flavors and consistency, onions buried, or on top, or not. Worley estimates it's about 50/50 for Michigan lovers "with" or "without." "It's a lot of TLC," Worley said of their unique steps for preparation. What really makes this seasonal place special is evident on a warm Friday evening in springtime with Ronnie's stand ensconced in rows of cars and trucks. "It's the customers that come back year after year that make it special," Worley said. "A woman called yesterday and asked if she could purchase a t-shirt; they are from the area but don't live here anymore. She said 'We haven't been up there in 20 years and it would mean the world to me,' So I went to the Post Office this morning and sent out a t-shirt." The legacy, Worley said, is a community-knit like family. As she reflected on their 28 years here, a longtime former employee Diane Wright shared her thoughts. She tended to the busy grill for some 27 years. "One of the best things is always the regular people who come in. You get to know them," Wright said. "If they've got a new grandchild, the pictures come out. It's just very community-oriented." Wright said her nearly three decades at Ronnie's were fun. "I always loved it." The same rings true for Gabriella Dandrow now working summer shifts for the 11th year. "I started working here because I lived in the house next door," Gabby said and smiled. "I started at 14 and worked here through high school. I worked here through college. Now I'm a nurse at the hospital and still work here a few days a week." This 65th summer launched with a lot of celebration. Located near Harrigan's Soft Ice Cream, which also opened its 65th season, the two businesses have provided dinner and a treat for going on three, in some cases four generations. "The funniest thing the other day, a customer came in and said she went to Harrigan's first to make sure they'd have room for dessert," Worley laughed. Ronnie's legacy, Worley said, is its customers and dedicated staff "We love seeing everyone come in. They're all like 'Welcome back, we're so happy you're open.'" Ronnie's opening is a rite of spring and also a cornerstone of the Michigan Month contest organized in July by the Town of Plattsburgh. Passports from the town or North Country Chamber of Commerce are made to be stamped at each of four Michigan stands and returned for prizes and rewards. The July fete includes a Michigan Mile fun run in Cadyville. Ronnie's Michigan's stamp is a tiny hotdog insignia. "We have fun at all the parades, at the Michigan Race, we bring out the Michigan hats, the french fry costume," Worley said. Ronnie's iconic stand at 1265 Route 3 at Vaughn and Bradford roads was presented with a special citation from Town of Plattsburgh Supervisor Michael Cashman "with deep appreciation for your contribution to our town." For 65 years, he said, "Quality ingredients, friendly service and dependable tradition has made Ronnie's Michigan Stand a cherished gathering spot in the Town of Plattsburgh." In addition to Michigans, Ronnie's has a wide variety of food items on the menu, to include hamburgers and chicken sandwiches, shrimp, fish fillet and pepper steak, along with French fries and onion rings and more. They are open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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Ronnie's Michigan Stand: Cherished for 65 years

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