Solomon Zarzour

Solomon Zarzour (born March 27, 1926) is the owner of Sol's Hot Dogs in Norwood.

Zarzour's parents emigrated to the United States from Lebanon. He grew up in Southside and attended Glen Iris School through the 7th grade, after which he went to work as a butcher's assistant at a neighborhood grocery.

When he turned 18, Zarzour enlisted in the Army and served, away from the front, in Europe. He was on his way to the Pacific when Japan surrendered. He returned to Birmingham and cooked barbecue at Ed Salem's Drive-In, until a Greek hot dog stand owner named Gus convinced him to open up his own business.

Zarzour opened his first hot dog stand in 1960 at 20th Street and 4th Avenue South. He moved ten years later to his present location at 3002 12th Avenue North in Norwood. He and his wife, Donna and one daughter, Leigh and a stepson, Johnny Gentry, who now manages Sol's. He has 14 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren, and plays poker with friends on Wednesday nights.

References

• Ruisi, Anne (August 7, 2010) "Hot diggity: Sol's celebrates 40 years of hot dogs in Norwood." Birmingham News