Mike and Jennifer Adams, owners of Dogslingers and The Depot, were at the point of no return. They’d poured their time and treasure into a business that wasn’t gaining traction. A year ago July, unbeknownst to each other, they both did something that changed everything. A month later, standing in the bathroom of their home, accessing what had transpired over the past 30 days, Mike admitted where he’d been and what he’d done about it. Jennifer told him she’d done the exact same thing. Teary-eyed remembering the moment, it’s evident how those independent actions changed the trajectory of their business.
Mike is a big, blue-eyed Norwegian-Swede who began skating at the age of 4 and has been heavily involved in hockey ever since. Jennifer is a dark-haired Irish-Italian from Springfield, Illinois, who worked in banking. The couple met when Mike skated for the Springfield Junior Blues; three years later they were married by a federal judge — on an ice rink. Their three children all began skating at 4 and played youth, college and Junior league hockey. For at least 10 years, Mike was a coaching manager of the Cape Fear Youth Hockey program operating out of then-Fort Bragg, coaching multiple teams. Jennifer was its secretary.
Originally from Utah, Mike spent from 1999 to 2021 in the U.S. Army as a Civil Affairs officer. He earned his commission through ROTC at Illinois State University and did multiple deployments to Afghanistan and Africa. Civil Affairs falls under USA Special Operations Command; its mission is to identify the needs of a local population that align with America’s goals in the region. Jennifer supported the demands of Mike’s career, making their home, caring for the children and leaning on her independence to focus on the end game. Homecomings always involved transition so when Mike retired and the kids were grown, she returned to banking.
Mike likes hotdogs. One day, he and Drake, the couple’s youngest son, were eating hotdogs in the parking lot at Lowes on Skibo. They wondered how much a hotdog truck made. They knew what they’d paid, and for an hour they counted how many customers the truck served. It was a lot.
Mike came home and told Jennifer, “I think I want to open a hotdog stand.” She thought, 'OK. Well, he’s retired and needs something to do with his time. Why not?' They bought one truck then a second and eventually a trailer, attending events and building relationships with local businesses.
Dogslingers and The Depot eventually became something the couple worked together. A marriage is always about working together, they agreed, but Jennifer thinks this time it’s even better. Perhaps it’s because Mike is home full-time now, or their clear level of maturity as a couple or maybe because Jennifer is contributing her talents to the mix. Mike praises her cooking effusively. The family used to joke that she should open a restaurant. She always said, “never.” And here they are. Her Pasta Poppers, for example, are fantastic. Think mac-and-cheese bites with an upscale garlic-Parmesan approach.
To be approved to operate a food truck, a purveyor must be associated with a commercial kitchen. The owner contracts with a restaurant to use everything from its prep space, refrigeration and storage to gray water and trash disposal. The Adams were grateful for their kitchen contract, but they knew they had to look for their own space. The Depot is both a permanent home for Dogslingers and a commissary where other truck owners can contract for kitchen use.
Mike was at a Portillo’s in Springfield, Ill., and ordered a hotdog. The quality was discernably better than anything he’d ever had. He found out they served Vienna Beef hotdogs and he determined Dogslingers would sell only that brand from then on. Vienna Beef uses shavings from briskets and only briskets. The taste is noticeably superior. Midwesterners are in on this secret, and it was just such a Midwesterner that turned the tide for Dogslingers.
The business, however, was struggling. The Depot building approval was dragging beyond two and a half years. The couple’s daughter, Delaney, had given Mike a bible and he began to read it. Finally, he got to a “Jesus, take the wheel” moment. He didn’t know if they were going to make it. They’d done everything they could and were out of resources and at the end of themselves. He said, “God, it’s in your hands.” Jennifer prays regularly, purposefully accessing and meditating. She, too, asked God to show her what she was supposed to do and to make His sign very clear. Neither one knew the other had prayed.
Then Carrie Greive, wife of Bright Light Brewing Company co-owner Chris Greive, saw the Vienna Beef signage. Being a Midwesterner, she knew what that meant. She posted an enthusiastic review on Fayetteville Foodies on Facebook. Within two weeks, sales volume at Dogslingers quadrupled. There had been positive reviews before, but this time God had been invited and blessings multiplied.
Twenty-six years ago, when they arrived in Fayetteville, Mike assumed the food scene would reflect the cultural diversity of a melting-pot military town. It didn’t. The culinary situation improved, but it wasn’t until COVID that Mike saw food trucks supplanting mom-and-pop restaurants. Cultural options exploded and places like Haymount Truck Stop, Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom and Bright Light Brewing became counterculture food truck hangouts. At last count, there are 65 food trucks registered in Cumberland County.
The name and logo for Dogslingers is all Delaney’s doing. The family’s dog, Henry, is the company’s mascot. Eldest son, Duncan, a Marine, cheerleads from Twentynine Palms, Calif. and Drake helps regularly. Mike and Jennifer are grateful for all the help they’ve received: marketing from Vienna Beef; food truck and restaurant mentors; and employees who care about customer service as much as they do. The Depot is open 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday at 2801 Raeford Road. I tried the Cheddar Jalapeno Dog. Raving about a hotdog seems silly, but it was hands-down the best I’ve ever had.

(Photo: Mike and Jennifer Adams pose in The Depot.)