Microloan helps Dubuque hot-dog cart owner

DUBUQUE — When Wes Rainer started Hot Diggity Dogz in 2021, he had to push his hot dog cart two blocks every morning. Within months, construction workers began working on the same block.

Without being asked, the workers would always go out of their way to help him get through. It was an experience that stayed with him.

“People just look out for you without you even asking them to,” he says. “It’s just good to see people taking care of other people and looking out for one another.”

Rainer was reminded of that lesson this month, when he applied for a $5,500 Kiva microloan to help him move his food truck into a brick-and-mortar location. His loan was fully funded by more than 10 lenders in just two days.

“I’ve been telling everybody,” he says. “It’s a way to really measure the temperature of your business. A lot of times, you get an idea and you think ‘This is gonna work.’ But the people will let you know what the demand is for your business. After a response like this, it makes me feel like we’re going to do really well.”

Hot Diggity Dogz is a mobile hot dog cart that specializes in Chicago-style hot dogs, Polish sausages and Italian beef. The cart is open in the 1902 Central Ave. parking lot from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

“What I love about doing this is the people that we encounter every day,” Rainer says. “That’s the No. 1 thing. And I get to work side by side with my family, and see my sons grow, and get involved in the community. With this business, we want to build generational wealth and pass down a company to our sons.”

Rainer saw a need to fast-track renovations to the business’ physical location, which is what led him to seek a loan from Kiva Iowa.

Kiva gives entrepreneurs access to a microlending platform to raise zero-interest, zero-fee, extended-grace- period loans. The loans can be for up to $15,000 and lenders can loan as little as $25 at a time

“I love the idea of crowd funding because you really get to see the kind of support that you have behind your business,” Rainer says. “Usually when you start a business, you feel like you are doing everything by yourself. But seeing that support was amazing.”

With their Kiva loan fully funded, Hot Diggity Dogz will use it to fix the walls, buy new flooring, and purchase a steam table, refrigeration and signage at its restaurant.

“The impact of this loan will be tremendous for our business,” Rainer says, “and will be truly instrumental in the growth of Hot Diggity Dogz.”

To learn more about Hot Diggity Dogz, visit https://hotdiggitydogz.business.site/. To learn more about Kiva Iowa microloans, visit newbo.co/kiva.