Namesake’s Frank Appraisal : Other Dogs Don’t Cut the Mustard, Suit Says

Two hotdog stands in the San Fernando Valley apparently cannot agree on what’s a good frank.

The owner of the Wiener Factory in Sherman Oaks filed suit Wednesday against singer Leslie Uggams and three other owners of a Wiener Factory in Woodland Hills, complaining that the other hotdog stand serves cold, tasteless food.

The suit stems from a 1984 licensing agreement that Uggams, her husband and two business partners, operating under the corporate name of KISS Inc., entered into with Kevin Lentz, owner of the original Sherman Oaks Wiener Factory.

Lentz alleges in his breach-of-contract suit that the KISS group’s Wiener Factory restaurant is serving inferior food and spoiling his firm’s reputation for first-rate franks. Both businesses are on Ventura Boulevard.

Seeks to Bar Use of Name

The suit, filed in Van Nuys Superior Court, seeks a court declaration to prevent the Woodland Hills store from using the Wiener Factory name.

Lentz said in an interview that his original Wiener Factory, which opened on April Fool’s Day in 1971, has become “a landmark in Sherman Oaks.” The store sports a sign that boasts: “We sold more than four hotdogs this year.”

Many customers have complained that the food at the Woodland Hills store “just doesn’t taste the same. It’s cold and not properly prepared,” Lentz said.

The Woodland Hills store, opened in December, 1984, is owned by Uggams; her husband, Grahame Pratt, and business partners Les Hanig and Scott Matis.

Pratt defended the quality of cuisine at the Woodland Hills store and called the suit a “petty, silly case.” He blamed the squabble on “bad feelings” between Lentz and Matis, who once were partners in the Sherman Oaks store.

‘Terrific Little Spot’

Pratt said he and Uggams agreed to help finance a second Wiener Factory after patronizing the Sherman Oaks stand for more than three years.

“One day I turned to my wife and said, ‘This is such a terrific little spot, there should be more of them,’ ” Pratt said.

The suit also alleges that the four partners failed to open more stores as agreed to in the licensing document and did not obtain Lentz’s approval on artwork and advertising.