drew
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Columbus and our booming taco truck scene feature prominently in the article, but there's plenty of interest for those who are looking beyond Mexican options. Cleveland sounds like it has some truly innovative stuff going on, and if the reporter would have come down just a couple of weeks later, we'd have pointed them towards the Skillet food truck that's doing business now in Clintonville.
Article here: http://insiderohio.com/features/foodtrucks.aspx
drew
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Bear wrote >>
Nice!!! Good ink, guys.
Thanks!
I have to admit, though, that the parts of the article that interested me the most had little to do with us. This bit in particular really struck me:
"Starting a food truck is much more affordable than opening a restaurant. With a restaurant you have interior design, rent, furniture, taxes. And if you've made the wrong decision as far as location, you're toast. With a food truck, you can bring the restaurant to the people."With the average restaurant start-up cost estimated at around $400,000, it's no wonder people are taking long, hard looks at mobile dining. Acito says that he spent approximately $50,000 to purchase and equip his 25-foot Ford step van.
And, I can tell you in no uncertain terms that $50k is waaay more than what is necessary to purchase and equip a health code compliant truck.
If I was an ambitious young chef, I'd be giving the truck option a long hard look. If I was in city government, I'd be thinking about how to make life easier for people who run these trucks.
Cookie
Flyntonville
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drew wrote >>
Columbus and our booming taco truck scene feature prominently in the article, but there's plenty of interest for those who are looking beyond Mexican options. Cleveland sounds like it has some truly innovative stuff going on, and if the reporter would have come down just a couple of weeks later, we'd have pointed them towards the Skillet food truck that's doing business now in Clintonville.
Article here: http://insiderohio.com/features/foodtrucks.aspx
Can you point the rest of us to the Skillet truck?
drew
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Cookie wrote >>
Can you point the rest of us to the Skillet truck?
I haven't been there myself (CMHGourmand has...), but I *believe* they're setting up shop [url=http://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF8&q=o+reilly's+auto+parts+columbus&fb=1&gl=us&hq=o+reilly's+auto+parts&hnear=columbus&ei=iTbcS7XbIIfkygTA9cDxBg&ved=0CEYQpQY&hl=en&view=map&cid=15447407818834196659&ll=40.01414,-83.011515&spn=0.008973,0.01929&z=16&iwloc=A]here[/url].
...which, now that I look at the map, isn't exactly Clintonville proper.
columbusfoodie
West Side
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Cookie wrote >>
drew wrote >>
Columbus and our booming taco truck scene feature prominently in the article, but there's plenty of interest for those who are looking beyond Mexican options. Cleveland sounds like it has some truly innovative stuff going on, and if the reporter would have come down just a couple of weeks later, we'd have pointed them towards the Skillet food truck that's doing business now in Clintonville.
Article here: http://insiderohio.com/features/foodtrucks.aspxCan you point the rest of us to the Skillet truck?
They were in the O'Reilly Auto Parts lot on Thursday evening (not O'Reilly's Pub, as a bunch of us mistakenly thought) - good stuff they've got going on there. :) And it looks like there was a truck (Johnny Oak's) across the street from there, although it was unmanned when we stopped by Skillet. And don't forget Ray Ray's Pit Boss BBQ a bit down at Pacemont and High. Good stuff going foodwise in the Clintonville/North Campus area.
lisathewaitress
SoHud
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drew wrote
And, I can tell you in no uncertain terms that $50k is waaay more than what is necessary to purchase and equip a health code compliant truck.
If I was an ambitious young chef, I'd be giving the truck option a long hard look. If I was in city government, I'd be thinking about how to make life easier for people who run these trucks.
i've thought about starting a food truck for a few years now. I even got a quote from a company here in columbus who builds them. It really is an inexpensive way to go. I made up my "dream truck" which was 18', a self-contained unit (not a trailer, but a big truck), and put in every piece of equipment i could possibly ever need and the estimate came back at just under 50K, which still seemed reasonable to me. Of course, if you buy a used one or even used equipment on a new truck, it would be WAY less.
Now that we have all of these food trucks, someone really needs to start a ramen noodle cart. And not just someone who thinks it would be a good idea to make money, but someone who is really, really amazing at making noodles.
and the pork belly quesadillas from Skillet were crazy good.
drew
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lisathewaitress wrote >>
drew wrote
And, I can tell you in no uncertain terms that $50k is waaay more than what is necessary to purchase and equip a health code compliant truck.
If I was an ambitious young chef, I'd be giving the truck option a long hard look. If I was in city government, I'd be thinking about how to make life easier for people who run these trucks.i've thought about starting a food truck for a few years now. I even got a quote from a company here in columbus who builds them. It really is an inexpensive way to go. I made up my "dream truck" which was 18', a self-contained unit (not a trailer, but a big truck), and put in every piece of equipment i could possibly ever need and the estimate came back at just under 50K, which still seemed reasonable to me. Of course, if you buy a used one or even used equipment on a new truck, it would be WAY less.
For sure. For a used truck and used equipment (that is health code compliant), I've heard of prices as low as $15k. Of course, your mileage may vary (both literally and figuratively).
When it comes to the used market, the taco truck owners always have the scoop... particularly Lidia at Los Potosinos. Also, Oscar at Taqueria Jalisco is putting together a new (second) truck right now. That could be a good opportunity to see a decent DIY buildout - word is that his kitchen is immaculate.
CMH Gourmand
(King of) the (Clinton)ville
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For sure. For a used truck and used equipment (that is health code compliant), I've heard of prices as low as $15k. Of course, your mileage may vary (both literally and figuratively).
When it comes to the used market, the taco truck owners always have the scoop... particularly Lidia at Los Potosinos. Also, Oscar at Taqueria Jalisco is putting together a new (second) truck right now. That could be a good opportunity to see a decent DIY buildout - word is that his kitchen is immaculate.
I have seen a good number of restaurant kitchens, BBQ mobile units, Hot Dog trucks as well as a Taco Truck or two or twelve. The set up for Taqueria Jalisco II is the mobile kitchen I have ever seen! It should be open on the West side in a week - check Taco Trucks Columbus for that.
So - if there was going to be a Hot Dog truck that also sold Pierogi King Pierogi's - where would you want that truck to park?
Rastapasta
Olde North
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I am going to try and make it din den sum (new Cleveland truck) tonight.. apparently yesterday they had head bacon sandwiches, and today something special with the ears..
hungrywoolf
Victorian Village
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drew wrote >>
KSquared wrote >>
Oh boy oh boy!! Sorry if I missed it, but does anyone know the days/hours for the Skillet truck?I think the general gist of it is that they'll be open from 6:00pm till they sell out. Not sure of the days..
I think the best way to keep track of their hours and location is to follow them on twitter http://twitter.com/SKILLETRUSTIC
here is a picture at the truck (from its debut appearance on Earth Day).
lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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I've said it before but with all the mobile food options, it would be an awesome use of unused lots in and around Columbus to set up little outdoor food courts with 5-10 trucks like Portland. A little building in the center for restrooms and indoor seating or using a commercial space next to the lot to accomplish the same thing.
DavidF
Elysium Fields
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lifeontwowheels wrote >>
I've said it before but with all the mobile food options, it would be an awesome use of unused lots in and around Columbus to set up little outdoor food courts with 5-10 trucks like Portland. A little building in the center for restrooms and indoor seating or using a commercial space next to the lot to accomplish the same thing.
Columbus Commons perhaps?
lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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DavidF wrote >>
lifeontwowheels wrote >>
I've said it before but with all the mobile food options, it would be an awesome use of unused lots in and around Columbus to set up little outdoor food courts with 5-10 trucks like Portland. A little building in the center for restrooms and indoor seating or using a commercial space next to the lot to accomplish the same thing.Columbus Commons perhaps?
Maybe. That closed off portion of Town could make a very nice pedestrian mall with food carts.
drew
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lifeontwowheels wrote >>
I've said it before but with all the mobile food options, it would be an awesome use of unused lots in and around Columbus to set up little outdoor food courts with 5-10 trucks like Portland. A little building in the center for restrooms and indoor seating or using a commercial space next to the lot to accomplish the same thing.
I've definitely given that idea some very pie-in-the-sky type of thought. Columbus Commons was one idea for a possible location, Pearl Alley was another (though it'd obviously take some space away from the alley market).
Aside from issues of location, I think it'd be useful for the purpose of trying to seed potential downtown business at something of a grass roots, low investment starting point. We've certainly seen examples of mobile vendors transitioning into becoming full-fledged neighborhood restaurants.
lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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drew wrote >>
lifeontwowheels wrote >>
I've said it before but with all the mobile food options, it would be an awesome use of unused lots in and around Columbus to set up little outdoor food courts with 5-10 trucks like Portland. A little building in the center for restrooms and indoor seating or using a commercial space next to the lot to accomplish the same thing.I've definitely given that idea some very pie-in-the-sky type of thought. Columbus Commons was one idea for a possible location, Pearl Alley was another (though it'd obviously take some space away from the alley market).
Aside from issues of location, I think it'd be useful for the purpose of trying to seed potential downtown business at something of a grass roots, low investment starting point. We've certainly seen examples of mobile vendors transitioning into becoming full-fledged neighborhood restaurants.
CSCC/CCAD area? There could be some tie ins with the business and culinary programs at CSCC.
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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I would love to see a parking lot food cart court happen, but wonder where a prime location/time would be. Parking lots around the city are in heavy use between 8am and 5pm M-F, and arguably the weekday lunch crowd is when the strongest customer demand is likely to be. It might be hard to find a parking lot owner (private or city owned) willing to give up spaces during peak hours for this kind of setup.
I do think that the Columbus Commons & Pearl Alley ideas might be a better fit. I've always thought that some of the other downtown alleys are a bit wasted as well, and it probably wouldn't be too hard to get a closure permit if this is attempted as a one-off event to start with.
Maybe the dead-end alley portion of Elm Street (between Gay and Long) just east of High Street could work? Essentially, close off Elm from Wall to High and line it with trucks and carts and make it a little pedestrian space.
You'd get a lot of visibility from High in that location, and it's still pretty much in the middle of Downtown and accessible to most of the office crowd.
Of course, if you're wanting to do this on a weekend, then the options open up quite a bit. Could probably stick it just about anywhere. ;)
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