Michigan Has the Only Hot n' Now in the World

What's next for the only Hot n' Now in the world?
With a recent auction of one of their signs, some people are wondering: Are they preparing to close? I don't feel they are...they are too popular and business has been very good.

Located in the Michigan town of Sturgis, it's the last holdout of Hot n' Now.....and in December 2023 they auctioned off one of their iconic items: the analog menu sign.

This caused some folks to wonder: Does this mean the restaurant is getting ready to shut down? Doesn't seem to be the case. Co-owner Wanda Lesniak says the sale of the menu is to replace it with a new digital one. Plus, the proceeds are to benefit the Isaiah 117 House, a charity that helps children with foster care transitions.

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Hot n' Now began in Kalamazoo in 1984, selling 39-cent hamburgers, fries, pop and shakes. It was a hit with Michiganders, and eventually they expanded to 150 restaurants throughout the United States. Beginning in the 1990s, profits started to suffer. Thanks to owners coming, going, buying, selling, re-selling, and bankruptcy, 149 shops closed down, the last being the Bay City location in 2016.

The Sturgis location still stands. The address is 69310 S. Centerville Road (M-66) in Sturgis, 2½ miles from the Indiana border and 26 miles southwest of Coldwater.

Okay, all fine and good...but how much did the analog menu sign sell for? And who won the auction? The final winning bid was $1,400 and the winner remains unannounced. I imagine whoever it was could very well be hammered with offers to buy if he/she's identity is revealed.

Hot n' Now remains a cult favorite among many Michiganders, and memorabilia sells well on sites like Ebay. Get over to Sturgis, check out their new digital menu and order up!