Dave Lopez remembers growing up with Cupid's hot dogs in the San Fernando Valley in the 1970's. "There was only one way to get a hot dog back then," he said. "With mustard, onions, and chili. It was pretty basic." Though keeping it basic might be why there is almost always a line of people around the block waiting for a famous hot dog . What began as a small North Hollywood stand in 1946 has since been hailed by the Los Angeles Times as the "Hot Dog Giant" of Southern California.

For respiratory therapist Dave Lopez and his wife, registered nurse Marsha Olson, opening a small business together has been a dream since they moved to the Valley from Santa Barbara in 1997, where they bought a condo.

"I've always loved hot dogs and it just made sense," said Dave, who is also an avid runner. "When the opportunity came up to open a Cupid's franchise we just jumped on it."

Though the couple still suffers the commute to their jobs in the neo-natal unit at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura three nights a week, one or the other can be found behind the counter, serving up hot dogs and sandwich wraps at Cupid's of Solvang most every day.

"Its not easy doing both," said Marsha, pointing out that having a good manager made their lives much easier. "We really rely on Ana Torres when we're not around."

The first-time business owners had some surprises after opening Cupid's last year.

"The streets pretty much roll up at five," laughs Dave, who admits this aspect of small town life had more charm before he and Marsha bought the franchise.

"But you go with it," adds Marsha. "Even though we had no idea we'd be putting in as many hours as we do here, I don't think we expected to enjoy it so much either. We've met some really great people since we opened the store."

A healthy twist on the all-American hot dog is just one of the liberties the pair have taken to cater to everyone in the Valley, from chili dog lovers to Atkins diet disciples. Though Cupid's still serves the original Coney Island style hot dog and award-winning chili, Dave and Marsha expanded their menu to include veggie and turkey dogs, fresh-made salads and low-carb sandwich wraps.

"If someone comes in and wants something a certain way we're not going to say no." says Marsha. "We're also trying new items all the time. We have a fruit bowl out on Fridays for Aloha Shirt Day and a 3:30 to 5:30 Happy Hour Monday through Friday."

The couple are adamant that quality be an important aspect of their stray the from hot dog menu; Marsha's home-made potato salad, hand-sliced turkey breast and roast top sirloin are staples of the beef and chicken wraps, albacore is the only tuna they serve and green leaf or romaine the base for their green salads. "No iceberg lettuce here," says Marsha.

Besides the budding success of Cupid's and the steady increase in locals discovering the quick, wholesome food restaurant, Cupids brought Dave and Marsha an unexpected opportunity to connect with the community.

The couple are a visible presence at local fundraisers these days, including the recent Santa.Ynez Valley Family 5K and 10K races, (that help raise money for Solvang's skate park), and at Santa Ynez Valley High School track team events.

Cupid's has also become a meeting spot for Dave's "pet project" &emdash;the Santa Ynez Valley Roadrunners&emdash; a group he helped form that joins up Saturday mornings to run local backcountry roads. "One of the reasons we were so attracted to this area were the wide roads."

Shortly before they celebrated Cupid's first anniversary, the couple received the Stuart C. Gildred Family YMCA's Hoof n' Boots award for community service in the Valley. The two remain upbeat about Cupid's future and their role in the community.

"We're always looking to try new things," said Marsha, referring to both food and fundraisers. "Its just about getting out there and getting involved."