The Spotty Dog

In the Main Road in Retreat in 1937 building began on the Spotty Dog. Rumours went around as to the purpose of the building because it was constructed behind a sheet of fabric which was eventually unveiled in 1938 to reveal, The Spotty Dog Roadhouse restaurant. Hot Dogs, Hamburgers and milkshakes were sold inside the dog’s body. Later a “kennel” was also built to accommodate more patrons. The Spotty Dog was a landmark for many years until in the 1970s a truck accidentally drove into it and destroyed it. In 1988 in honour of its memory, a smaller “monument/replica” was constructed by Andrew Louw of Cape Concrete for Spotty’s Auto. When they moved down the road the landmark disappeared.

With public engagement Cape Concrete once again stepped up and later that same year, a new, Spotty Dog which was 2m high was back on the site at the hardware store in Tokai with “Baby Spotty” next to it.

Baby Spotty was sadly victim to repeated vandalism and has been taken to guard the front door of the land owners’ offices which are a few kilometres away.

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