When then 20-year-old Keith Wass took over his ex-wife’s uncle’s hot dog stand in Rockland in 1972, he was studying psychology in college.

The owner of the newest branch of Wasses Hot Dogs at 511 Main Street in Damariscotta said psychology has come in handy over the past 43 years of selling hot dogs.

“I’ve used it many times in dealing with people over the past 42 years,” he said with a laugh.

The business originated in the 1920s with brothers Louie and Barney Benovitch. It was a little pushcart at the corner of Main and Orient Street in Rockland.

In the late ’50s Wass’ wife’s uncle opened another hot dog stand. In 1972, Wass bought the business from him. He had planned to run it during summers, while continuing with college, but hot dogs won out.

“After the first summer, I realized I really liked doing it, and thought I could make it successful,” Wass said. “I decided not to go back to college, and stay with the hot dog business.”

At the time the business was housed in an 8 by 12-foot wagon.

The name Wasses is actually an old Maine take on the possessive of a last name ending with an “s.”

Wass said that when he bought the business, his then father-in-law had not named it.

“My Country Kitchen delivery person asked what I was going to name the wagon. I said I was going to call it Wass' Wagon. When he wrote out a form he spelled it improperly (adding the 'es') and I decide to keep it.”

Wass had the stand built in 1986, and it looks pretty much the same now as it looked then. Because it was no longer a wagon, it became Wasses Hot Dogs.

Sometime around 1990, Wass realized that for every one person he was serving, there was another one driving by because the line was so long. He decided to expand. He opened another stand in the location where Rite Aid in Rockland is now.

He set a goal to open five more stands in the next five years.” He did — one a year for five years.

There was one in Thomaston, one in Camden, one at Walmart in Rockland, and one in Belfast.

Eventually he backed off to three — the original one in Rockland, one in Thomaston, across from Lowe's on Route 1, and one in Belfast.

And now Damariscotta makes four.

“I've been wanting to come to Damariscotta for years,” he said.

Wass said he thought he was ready to retire 10 years ago. At that point, he let his employees keep watch at the stands and he did the books and “solved the problems.”

“Then this spring my good friend Joe (Talbot) approached me and said, ‘Keith, let's see if we can open one in Damariscotta and make it work.’” Talbot is now the manager of the Damariscotta stand.

In the first three or four days in Damariscotta almost 100 percent of his customers were “regulars” from his other stands. “It really made it easy for us because we didn't have to ‘train’ them,” he said. “We wait on a customer a minute, on the average.”

Wass is thankful for the support of the local people.

“Opening a (hot dog stand) isn't a new experience for me, but I have never been so welcomed in a community,” he said. “All the townspeople, including the city manager, have made it really easy to get this up and running. It is so heartwarming to hear from the community how welcome we are and how everyone is so excited we're here.”

Consistency is important to the success of any food vendor. Wass said he strives for perfection.

“Every hot dog that goes out that window is the best we can make it. The hot dogs have to be cooked to a certain color, and the rolls are steamed to perfection, not under-steamed, not over-steamed. That's how I've kept this business thriving.”

As for the fried onions? “We’ve gone through 150 pounds in the first eight days we’ve been open in Damariscotta.”

Former Boothbay Register Managing Editor Mary Brewer said that she and her husband Butch rarely make a trip to Rockland without visiting Wasses.

“Butch has been enjoying their hot dogs since the 1970s and first heard of them when he was sardine fishing and docked at either Holmes Packing Company or Port Clyde Foods in Rockland,” she said. “Local fishermen were quick to pass the word on how good they were, and he’s been hooked on them ever since.”

Brewer said her husband has already been to the Damariscotta stand, and will continue to visit the Rockland one.

“Most local fishermen plan on stopping at Wasses whenever they’re in Rockland, and (Butch) says one local lobsterman used to comment that since it was an hour’s drive, he had to eat at least five or six to make it worth his while.”

Asked if Wass eats his hot dogs, he replied, “Absolutely. I've had one almost every day since we opened here. I take that first bite, and say, 'Man these things are good.’” After 43 years.

At Wasses, as any regular knows, “everything” includes the onions (fried in peanut oil), mustard and relish. If you want ketchup (or any of the other accouterments that have been added to the menu over the years), you have to ask for it.

A tip for new customers: When you get to the window, simply say, “Two with everything and a chocolate milk.” And just like that, you’re a regular.

For now, Wasses in Damariscotta will be open year-round Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.