Mike Bashford and Donna Ryder are collaborating to serve iconic Bash's coney dogs out of her downtown restaurant, Grama's Diner, for Thursday's Market Night.

An ad for Bash’s Drive-In appeared in the Daily Freeman-Journal in 1966.

“I am making the original Bash’s coney dog,” Ryder said, clearly pleased with the assignment.

She’ll be doing it in partnership with Mike Bashford, whose parents owned the memorable drive-in back in the day when cars were big and colorful and carhops served you where you parked.

“This gentleman walked in one day and said, ‘I was told to come talk to you.’ And I said, ‘Oh, really?’ “Yep, you’re the person everybody told me to talk to. I’ve got a proposition.’ And then he went on to tell me about his mom and dad and their restaurant or their drive-in.”

Frank and Betty Bashford bought the existing drive-in at the corner of Oak and East Second streets in 1966 when Mike Bashford was a junior in high school.

“Dad was a business manager for the American Legion for 20 years,” Bashford said. “That’s when they had their big building going out on White Fox Road. And they used to have dances and things there.”

Frank Bashford resigned from the position in early 1966.

“So he bought that in 1966 when I was in the 11th grade,” Bashford said. “And then he sold it in 1972 and relocated permanently in California because he had a brother there and my mother had a brother there.”

The coney recipe has been tucked in Mike Bashford’s head ever since.

“I always, always thought that this recipe is good because I’ve tried some of the different things in the store,” he said. “Nothing compares to it.”

Ryder is the first person to make the recipe since Bashford’s mom and dad closed their drive-in.

She is keeping the recipe a secret.

On Thursday night, from 5 to 7:30 p.m., Bash’s coney dogs will be on the menu at Grama’s Diner, 725 Second Street, Webster City. Ryder will also be selling classic rootbeer floats.

The price of the coney dogs will be a freewill donation. Ryder is doing it that way because she wants everyone to have a coney dog.

This will not be a regular item on the menu, so those who want to taste this need to be at Grama’s on Thursday night.

The collaboration is nostalgic.

“I said, ‘Well, the only way I’ll do it is if you put on an apron and come for the show,'” Ryder told Bashford.

He promises to be there.