When you open a business, there’s usually no way to tell how successful it will be, or even if it will succeed at all.
That’s been particularly true during the “Great Recession” of 2007-09 and slow recovery.
Making the decision in January to park their “curbside kitchen” at Hemming Plaza every day to sell hot dogs, sausages and snacks to Downtown workers, residents and visitors has turned out to be the right move for Brad and Mayra Valentine.
“Our business is growing all the time. We have a big group of regulars and we get a lot of first-timers. Our lunch customers are booking office parties and home parties,” said Brad.
In addition to the Monday-Friday lunch sales in the plaza, the couple also sets up shop for events Downtown.
“Art Walk has been very successful for us and when we worked the Monster Trucks show (at EverBank Field), the crowd was enormous,” he said.
Working events gives the Valentines the opportunity to try out new items, such as Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, corn on the cob and boiled peanuts.
Payment by credit card has been added to the menu along with fruit smoothies.
As soon as the weather cools, they plan to serve coffee and espresso. They call it “fine-tuning the business and adapting to the seasons.”
Mayra said she enjoys meeting new people who stroll through the plaza, including judges and U.S. marshals from the federal courthouse and plenty of elected officials from City Hall.
“We really like hearing people’s stories,” she said.
The Valentines are looking forward to May and June when a new group of potential customers will be a couple blocks away.
“We can’t wait for the new courthouse to open,” said Mayra.
Brad said he’s happier serving customers outdoors under a shade tree than he would have been had they opened a restaurant and spent all day in the kitchen.
“We belong here in the plaza. Downtown is working for us,” he said.
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