by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Kim Peavler sets up shop at the corner of Laura and Duval about 10:30 every morning and packs up about 3. At first glance, that five-and-a-half hour day seems like a pretty good gig. But, let’s re-examine the typical day for Peavler, who has one of the primo locales for a hot dog cart Downtown.
Her days really start at about 7:30 a.m. with trips to area stores to stock up on hot dogs, drinks, chips, ice and whatever else she needs. She goes to the wholesale clubs for some items but says some things are just as cheap at Wal-Mart or even Racetrac. Then, there’s the hour commute. After winding down sales in the afternoon, it takes Peavler about a half-hour to break everything down and load up. Then, another hour to get home.
“I probably make about minimum wage,” said Peavler about looking at her day from the 7:30-5 perspective.
The reality is she does well and the perks aren’t bad.
“I enjoy being my own boss. That’s the main one,” said Peavler of why she got into the business almost five years ago. “It’s not bad money. You can’t retire on it, but you can make a living.”
Peavler got into the business sort of by accident. For 13 years, she worked for a food broker. When the broker decided to shut the doors, one of Peavler’s customers offered her the hot dog cart.
“It was cheap and I thought I’d sell it and make a profit,” said Peavler, who kept the business and worked it on the weekends on a Westside street.
Eventually, the chance to move Downtown arose and she’s been a mainstay across from City Hall since.
Peavler may be the only hot dog vendor Downtown that also offers burgers.
“Only on Fridays, though, because of the farmer’s market,” she said. “They have so many different foods I have to have a variety.”
Peavler uses a gas grill to cook up two types of hot dogs and three types of sausage dogs — all beef, of course — on a daily basis. The condiments are free and customers help themselves. Her coolers are filled with bottled water (two types), sodas and Gatorade. But, there’s one key element to a good dog.
“I buy fresh bread every day. That’s a main thing for me,” said Peavler, who declined to talk about how many hot dogs she sells every day. But, she stays busy and only the hottest, coldest or rainiest days affect business.
“It’s a little slow if it’s really hot,” she said. “I’ll sell more drinks.”
Peavler said as the day winds down she moves from keeping the grill relatively full to cooking to order. Still, there are days she has some food left over. None of it goes to waste and none of it goes to the homeless that inhabit Hemming Plaza by the dozens.
“I have a chip guy who buys everything,” she said, adding she refers the homeless who sometimes ask for a handout to one of the area shelters. “I can handle myself.”
Peavler won’t get rich selling hot dogs, but there is a plan. Several years from now, her husband will retire, she’ll sell the business and the two will move to Tennessee where he’ll start a business and she plans to open a restaurant.