If you are a street cart vendor, interested in becoming one, or even a person that advocates or works on food cart related issues, there’s a nifty national conference coming up in Los Angeles, May 14-15, 2010 at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).
According to the Conference Materials,
In recent years, street vendors in the U.S. have become more prominent than ever before. In New York, L.A., Chicago, Washington, D.C. – and many other communities around the nation – vendors are getting organized to stand up for their rights – and make their voices heard.
The conference will provide a historic opportunity for street based entrepreneurs…to meet, share experiences, coordinate strategy, and build solidarity.
There is some grant funding available to vendors who many not have the financial resources to attend on their own.
We’ve talked about cart vendor issues here before – everything from landlord issues, to city permitting, to neighborhood and restaurant complaints about the carts. While some other cities have strong cart vendor associations and groups, others – such as Portland – have no such support system. This might partly be due to the City of Portland and Multnomah County. Both entities have generally been very supportive of food carts. However, carts in other cities are often in constant battle with changing laws, police “crack downs”, excessive permitting and other cart issues. It’s the strength in numbers theory – much like restaurant associations – vendor groups can lobby in powerful numbers, develop a strong support system for one another, and are much more powerful as a group than as individuals. Does Portland need a Cart Vendor Association?
Regardless, I think cart vendors from other places could learn a lot from Portland’s cart vendors, local government and thriving “cart culture”. On the flip side, Portland cart vendors and the City of Portland could greatly benefit from learning about cart vendors and associations in other cities.
This is an exciting opportunity for knowledge exchange, community organizing, and business and organizational development. If you are interested in learning more about the conference please check out this excellent post from the NYC based Non-profit Urban Justice Center at StreetVendor.org .
Good tip. The conference is actually at UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles) and not USC (University of Southern California.)
Thanks Magda – UCLA noted and correction made.
Its a good thing its at UCLA and not USC that weekend – it’s graduation weekend at USC (May 14 is the big day). If anyone plans on attending, do not spend too much time downtown/ near USC – the traffic will be extra special LA awful!
Hello! If you’ve got the time, I’ve got a couple of questions for you regarding street food vending in Portland. I’ve got a product (a fairly unique approach to charcoal grilled pizza) that has worked well in the restaurant at which I’m the chef. It’s a product that I’m very passionate about, and I’d consider leaving my little rock-club restaurant kitchen and the east coast hipsters behind behind to concentrate on making my product on a cart or trailer. Unlike many chefs, I actually enjoy working with the public and schmoozing while I work, so I think street cart work could be a lot of fun.
Unfortunately, in the cities surrounding Boston (Somerville, Cambridge) where I’d be interested in setting up a cart to vend it, there are nearly insurmountable permiting, zoning and other financial hurdles to setting up a successful cart operation. Also, considering that a one bedroom apartment around here in a pretty horrible location starts at around $1100 (and the often dangerous and dirty public housing is at least a 3 year waiting list) makes you think twice about making any sort of financial gamble in this city.
I had no idea that there was such a vibrant cart culture in Portland. Is the market totally saturated or do you think there’s room for a new very high quality product at a very reasonable price? Are there strict regulations about where and what times you can set your business up? Are you required to prepare all of your food in a commercially zoned commissary or is a strictly home/cart operation permitted? I thank you in advance for your time!
Stay put.
Hi Andy. Believe it or not we are a pretty friendly bunch out here. And yes, we have a booming food cart scene. We also have a really high unemployment, a lot of new people moving to the City, and rents aren’t as cheap as say some cities in the midwest, NE or south. But certainly cheaper than Boston!
I wouldn’t say Portland is the best place for a new Pizza cart though, but who knows? New carts open all the time and do well, and the Pizza carts are doing well, and new restaurants keep opening all the time and many of them are doing well…
But that said, there are some cities that have less food carts, but probably more of a demand. I’m thinking Seattle, Madison Wis, Austin, Texas. Even other cities with big college populations, farmers markets and good food culture such as Columbus, Ohio, Cincinatti, Cleveland, Chapel Hill North Carolina… Not sure about any others.
You are asking a lot of technical questions here that require some detailed answers. Really, your best bet is to go to the Multnomah Country website http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/health/mchealthinspect/mfu.html . They have a mobile food unit information packet with most of the answers you are seeking.
Or call 503-803-4000 to find out who at the City can help you.
Hope this helps!
word.
Andy
We are interested in the National Street Vendor Conference but can not find any info, can you help?
We would also like to come and meet with you all to talk about what we want to do here in Baton Rouge, would you or someone on your staff be willing to give us some first hand info?
Thanks
Chris
Cuisine Bonne Femme: That’s huge, thanks!
I don’t have much info to share right now but it appears that, although it will be hosted by UCLA, the venue will be at their Downtown Labor Center. (not really downtown but near it, at MacArthur Park)