Monday began the second week of the City allowing one food truck each day to set up shop Downtown. If the line and “sold out” status of several of Corner Taco’s offerings was any indication, the entrepreneurial experiment has so far been a success.
“We’re very happy with the response so far,” said Jack Shad, City Parking Facilities and Enforcement Division chief.
Shad and Downtown Vision Inc. Executive Director Terry Lorince wandered by the food truck locale Monday at the southwest corner of Forsyth and Main streets to see how business was. The line curved around the back of the truck during its 11 a.m.- 1 p.m.-ish hours of operation.
“We wanted to see what it was like firsthand,” Lorince said.
By 12:30 p.m., patrons still wrapped around the truck and several of the vendor’s items had already sold out, a positive indication of how the promotion has been received, Shad said.
Shad is helping to organize a plan for what trucks will be Downtown on what day in the rotation and said such a schedule is dependent on who files the right paperwork the quickest.
The rotation currently includes Corner Taco on Mondays, Up in Smoke BBQ on Tuesdays and Monroe On-the-Go Barbeque on Thursdays. Shad said paperwork from one truck owner is being finalized to allow participation on Fridays.
Insurance and proper permitting are part of the requirements, in addition to the typical fee charged for occupying a space in the City-owned lot.
Shad said soon he expects the rotation to be full.
“I feel like Downtown has added five new restaurants,” he said.
Before the rotation began last week, David DeCamp, Mayor Alvin Brown’s communications director, said the new service would help attract more people to Downtown, with the options the suburbs offer.
Though just a trial phase, food truck availability could be expanded, depending on how it is received, DeCamp said.
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