BangItOut.com investigative team takes a look at the legendary Dougie, restauranteur extraordinaire and UWS cultural personality. BIO observes his rise to power, his empire, and his visions of the future.

Dougie grew up in the UWS like most desperate singles, but his love for chicks gradually turned into a love for chicken wings, and his newly married wife found that she wasn't “popping” out children like her friends, but popping something fiery and different from the grill.

“When we opened our first Dougie's is Manhattan in 1994, we were determined to be truly new and unusual. We looked around and realized that the one thing glaringly absent from the world of kosher dining was an honest-to-goodness family-style barbecue and grill – one that offered really outstanding food at really reasonable prices.”

Just 7 years later, Dougie's now boasts locations in Queens, Brooklyn and Teaneck in addition to his original Manhattan venue. Now Dougie's famed greasy goodies, and oily delights can be attained wherever orthodox Jews look for something to do that precludes non-Jews, or activity. While the restroom-to-patron ratio has been criticized oft times, the “Dougie's” chain can be confidently labeled a true success.

But the buck doesn't stop there for the burger bachur. Now the restaurant mogul has decided to expand his empire into other, non-food related businesses, including industrial grease and lubricants, as well as manure and fertilizer products.

“I looked around and realized that these products are currently being produced in large quantities at my restaurants already, it's no big deal to bottle them up and ship them out.”

Some people might find Doug's ideas to be a bit aggressive, and wonder why the capital infusion wouldn't better be suited to improve the hygienic standards of his chain.

“I really feel no obligation” says Dougie, ” the way I see things, based on the number of successful dates that have gone on at my stores, I figure I easily scored automatic Olam Habah. As far as G-d and eternal judgement are concerned, I'm untouchable.”

As successful and entrepreneurial as Doug may seem, even he has run into his rut of ill investments.

In 2001, Doug started an Orthodox Escort service, inspired by a BIO article by Elie Goldman. “I figured that since Dougie's had become a virtual shidduch date institution, people would gladly pay to have one of my escorts accompany them to dinner here, just to build up their reputation.” In just days “Dougie's Angels” became a booming success, but it seemed the idea was a bit too successful. Almost as suddenly as it started, the business came to a greasy halt.

“It was a disaster,” Dougie remembers,

“After a month, my 6 escorts had gained a combined 158 pounds! At that point no one was interested. You might as well look for a date in the Stern cafeteria”

“Dougie's Angels” left Doug demoralized, but not beaten, for the experience inspired him with a new idea. In an effort to expand his franchise, and to help overweight Jews everywhere, including his Angels, Dougie started his own weight loss program. The diet prescribed “Poppers for breakfast, Poppers for lunch, and a sensible dinner”. But enrollments were too low and “Dougie's Ouglies” ended a failure. “The hard truth is that the only people who lose weight at my restaurants are the cooks” Dougie recounts. “Besides, Rabbi Simon was a poor replacement for Richard Simmons”

What's next for Dougie is unclear. What is certain is that Dougie will always be a wellspring of new ideas in a tradition that still fries chicken fat as a snack.