He's turning his loss into someone else's gain.

Kirt Bowman found himself without a job and decided he wasn't going to accept defeat.

"I was laid off as a custom cabinet designer, but I won a design contest. I also had some cash, so I decided to design a hot dog cart and give it a shot'," said Bowman.

He did just that.

"In Chicago they don't even have ketchup, they make you go buy ketchup!"

Bowman opened his own hot dog stand, Sundog Carts, specializing in Chicago-style hot dogs.

"I have tomatoes, onions, I have sport peppers, they're like a jalapeno pepper," Bowman tells a customer.

In a time when starting your own business can be hit-or-miss, Bowman is happy things have been going well.

"The city has been very supportive. Once the students get back, we'll be out at football games and bars," Bowman said.

Bowman's proud to own the only place in Maryville where you can get a fully loaded Chicago-style hot dog, chips and a drink for only $4.

"Why, it's never been tried in small town, no one could really answer that," said Bowman.

But rest assured, he's happy to bring a taste of the Windy City to the town of Maryville.

"I'm happy just to make a living and be in business right now. Bringing Chicago-style meals to our small town of Maryville.

Displaced workers out there, do not give up, just go out in your garage and build something and do a little research and you can do it too," said Bowman. "It's not impossible, the sky's the limit."