by Douglas Fair
Staff Writer
Being a street vendor may seem like a carefree life, but it’s really a lot of hard work.
Elton Turner has been a street vendor for 10 years, serving up hot dogs and sausages to customers outside the Bank of America building on the corner of Laura and Forsyth streets.
Turner worked in retail management for 20 years and was ready for a change. He saw a hot dog vendor operating outside the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office one day in 1995 and decided to invest $2,500 to launch his own business.
“I thought it would be something to try,” said Turner.
His stand is now his sole source of income. He said some people think operating a stand is easy, but it takes work — about 50 hours a week worth.
Turner operates his stand six hours a day, five days a week. He also spends time shopping, cleaning and maintaining his equipment as well as setting up and tearing down his portable business every day.
“People think this is an easy job, but I’m here every day — rain or shine,” said Turner. “I have to, it’s how I make a living.”
He said his location brings him steady business with plenty of repeat customers. Turner said business gets better during the week of the Florida-Georgia game and the Gator Bowl, but said his business was down during last year’s Super Bowl.
“All the people were down by the Landing,” said Turner.
Just a few blocks down Laura Street, Kim Peavler operates her hot dog stand, Kim’s Hot Dog Express, in Hemming Plaza. She established her business there three years ago as construction was starting on the new Main Library. Like Turner, Peavler’s stand is her only source of income. Peavler started in food service when she was 14, and has worked a variety of food-related jobs. Her last full-time job was as an office manager for a food service distributor.
While working there she purchased her stand, originally intending to resell it for more money. But she started operating the stand on weekends and, when her employer went out of business four years ago, Peavler decided to operate the stand full-time.
At first, she set up outside downtown, a decision that didn’t fare well.
“It was scary. It wasn’t a steady income,” said Peavler.
On a tip, she decided to relocate to downtown. She said business was booming at first due to the number of construction workers at the library. However, since the building’s completion, business has settled down. She said she still sees a steady clientele, just not as much as when she started.
Peavler said she makes enough to pay her bills, but not enough to retire on. Her goal is to eventually open her own restaurant downtown.
“I don’t care what it is, if you’re in business for yourself, it’s hard to go back to work for someone else,” said Peavler.
Both Turner and Peavler attended a food management program at Florida Community College — a course that consists of a one-day seminar. Participants must then complete an exam that certifies them with the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals.
Other necessary requirements are a business license, a downtown City of Jacksonville vendor’s permit, a Florida Health Department license and general liability insurance of $300,000, all of which must be renewed annually.
Peavler said an occupational license is also required but it does not have to be renewed annually. She said another requirement is a commissary. She said vendors cannot start a business without a place to prepare their food prior to arriving on the scene. This would include items such as homemade relish, chopped onions or other additions that need special preparation.
Both Peavler and Turner get their supplies from wholesale clubs and Peavler said she shops every other day because she does not have storage space for everything she sells.