My brother is thinking about starting a new franchise so he asked me to show him around Hendersonville today. By midafternoon we reached the corner of N.C. 191 and Highway 280 in Mills River…

We were a little thirsty so my brother suggested we stop somewhere and get a bottle of water. While sitting at a red light we looked to our right and saw this…

The big “Milkshakes” sign made us immediately forget about water… and our diet. When we went inside we were fascinated by the black and white photos hanging on the walls — all from the local Mills River area, dating from the late 1880s to the present.

One picture grabbed my attention. It was a young man driving what looked like my very first car — a 1955 Willys Jeep station wagon…

We walked up to the counter and looked over the menu. In addition to hot dogs of all shapes, sizes and combinations, DogTown offers Chicken strips, chicken livers, pork BBQ, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, Philly steaks, reubens and more. Sides include cheddar fries, French fries, chili-cheese fries, bacon-cheddar fries, tater tots, onion rings and cole slaw.

But we came in for one thing. A milkshake. I wanted strawberry. My brother asked for peanut butter mixed with vanilla. We weren’t disappointed. They served them with straws and spoons because they’re so thick. If the rest of the food on the menu is half as good as their shakes, I’m in trouble. Before long I’ll be 25 pounds heavier…

After checking into DogTown a little more, I found out we were lucky — there’s a line at lunch time. So, to avoid the wait, visit this popular eatery after 2 p.m. like we did.

Visitor’s Note: For more dining ideas visit our Dining-Restaurants Page.