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Short Leash expands hot dog, doughnut empire with new Central Avenue store

Short Leash VIII
The wall of fame for dogs after whom weekly specials at Short Leash Hot Dogs and Sausages have been named is pictured on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015, at the restaurant’s newest location on Central Avenue in downtown Phoenix.

In the heart of downtown Phoenix, the smell of cinnamon wafts onto the street, luring pedestrians off Central Avenue like a siren song. But the new Short Leash location, with its award-winning homemade doughnuts and specialty hot dogs, doesn't need black magic to draw in business.

They've enchanted their customers with a mix of unique foods curated through years of experimentation within the community — and it all started with an 80-square-foot food truck.

Short Leash has been a staple of local foodie culture since its first food truck hit the streets of Phoenix six years ago. The decision to transition from the truck to a restaurant setting came naturally for Brad Moore, who co-owns the business with his wife, Kat.

"We reached a point where we were turning down a lot of catering requests and parties, so that's when we decided to open our Roosevelt restaurant," Brad said. "From that (point), it has blossomed."

Short Leash now has two hot dog trucks and a doughnut truck that they still operate for private catering and regular stops, including Food Truck Fridays on Central Avenue and McKinley Street. Now, they also operate four permanent locations: a sit-down restaurant on Roosevelt Street, a counter-service joint on Camelback Road, a doughnut shop on Vernon Avenue and now a brand new deli-style café off of Central Avenue. 

Related: Short Leash Food Truck's Permanent Location Doesn't Disappoint

The newest Central location, which had its soft opening three weeks ago, is a combination bakery and deli. From 7 to 11 a.m., it serves doughnuts, cinnamon rolls and coffee, then from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., it also offers a lunch menu specializing in made-to-order hot dogs.

After 3 p.m., the storefront closes and the kitchen switches to serve the Valley Bar, a popular concert venue and bar underneath the store. The menu at the bar includes salads, bratwurst burgers and house-made soft pretzels, as well as its signature doughnuts and cinnamon rolls.

All the bread, doughnuts and rolls at Short Leash are handmade from scratch by a team of bakers who prepare the dough the night before, then arrive at 4:30 a.m. every morning to hand-roll and hand-cut it. They also make the icing from scratch.

Brad believes that the unique style and flavor of their food makes Short Leash more than just a combination of Dunkin' Donuts and Wienerschnitzel.

"We're locally owned and operated, not a part of a large franchise or corporate conglomerate," he said. "Our doughnuts are different (from the competition) because they're all made from scratch with a brioche style."

Kat agreed that the local, community-based aspect of their service is one of Short Leash's most important values.

"Our whole business has been built on the community (and) on relationships," she said. "Everything that we do is based on the relationships we have with people. Our team is very unique and personable — it's a great group. Everyone has our same values in their hearts."

Kat also said that the ability to connect with customers and interact on a one-on-one basis is one of the best parts of the new Subway-esque deli format. She said a lot of people from the many businesses in the surrounding area have become new customers, but they're also hoping to appeal to ASU students as a spot to study and unwind.

"We just bought sofas and chairs, so students can come, do their homework and hang out," Kat said. "We want students to be able to fill this huge space and relax... (with) wifi, coffee and doughnuts."

Short Leash's local flair makes it appealing for employees, too. Kali Hemly started working at Rollover Coffee and Doughnuts, an offshoot of Short Leash, as a barista when she moved to Arizona about a year ago. She decided to move to this new location to try something new.

"My favorite part of the job is the people," Hemly said. "It's an upbeat crowd that comes in, and I think it's really unique."

The new Short Leash location on Central Avenue is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Reach the reporter at skylar.mason@asu.edu or follow @skylarmason42 on Twitter.

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