About Us- Our Story

It all began in 1934, when Boyce and Leedda Wheeler they joined the Inland Empire carnival, traveling dusty roads through Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. At each stop, they served hot dogs and hamburgers to crowds eager for the taste of something simple and good. A new family tradition had begun.

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Boyce, ever the innovator, bought a food concessions trailer in those early years. It was practical, easy to park and open. But he soon realized something deeper: “You should never look down at your customer; you should always meet them face to face.” That belief changed everything. Out went the trailer, and in came the classic carnival “hinge” stand — a setup that brought vendor and customer eye to eye.

 

By 1946, the Wheelers had found their rhythm. Leedda had created a fresh vegetable topping for the long dogs and that summer, at Grangeville’s Border Days celebration over the Fourth of July, they unveiled their stand for the first time. The sign read “Wheeler’s Long Dogs,” and the sizzling aroma of hot dogs filled the air. But that same year, another legend was born. Traveling with Inland Empire Shows, the Wheelers introduced a new treat: corn dogs dipped in what they called “party batter.” Soon, people were calling them “Party Pups.” Sweet, golden, and irresistible, they became the star of the show. Kids devoured them, parents raved, and folks laughed that it was “a party in the mouth.”

 

The years rolled on, and in 1971, after Leedda passed away, her children carried the torch. Gene Wheeler, along with Nancy and Duane Ash, kept the tradition alive at Border Days, serving Long Dogs and hamburgers to generations of families celebrating the 4th of July in Grangeville. For sixty-five summers, the booth stood as a fixture of Grangeville’s celebration, until the family donated it to the Booster Club, giving local high school teams a chance to raise money while keeping the tradition alive.

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Meanwhile, Party Pups never lost their spark. They became a staple at the Western Idaho Fair and the Twin Falls County Fair, delighting crowds year after year. In 2015, Nancy and Duane passed the reins to Drew Ash, ensuring the family legacy continued.

Through it all, the booth was never just about food. It was about family. Boyce, Leedda, Nancy, Gene, Duane, Wanda, Bill Shook, Drew, James, and David all worked behind the counter, joined by countless friends who became family along the way. Duane and Nancy loved to joke that Party Pups was the “smartest stand around,” since so many of its workers held advanced degrees — yet they were all there for the same reason: to share in the fun, the laughter, and the joy of serving up a little piece of carnival history.

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Today, we are bringing the food trailer back in addition to the stick stand at the Western Idaho Fair and Twin Falls County Fair. We will be adding to the Party Pup name since we will be offering more than just the better battered corn dogs. Party Pups Grub and Grooves aims to cater events and offer more chances for our customers to enjoy our corn dogs and so much more!