Food truck opportunity downtown

[fieldafm]

If there were a couple of mobile food truck pods at the new Courthouse public plaza(which is SURROUNDED by a sea of empty parking lots unfriendly to pedestrians), Olio could take advantage of extending their restaurant's reach by way of a food truck instead of a shuttle program.  Food trucks not only offer a way for entrepreneurs to start inexpensive small businesses, they also allow existing brick and mortars to expand their reach (Bruccis and Monroes for instance already do that here).


http://www.oliomarket.com/events/2012/5/18/courthouse-closing-free-lunchbus.html

Who wouldnt love the opportunity to grab some of Olio's DELICIOUS fish tacos or falafel on the go OR by sitting down and relaxing in Olio's current (really)cool location?!?! 

[mtraininjax]

I think we have already covered this in another thread about the food trucks downtown.

[fieldafm]

A DT restaurant resorting to using a private bus?  No, we have not.

However, think of how much better an Olio food truck would be for not only their business interests(keep their existing space while expanding their reach) but for the surrounding context of the dead area around the courthouse? 

Why can't we have two mobile food truck pods available for rent in this massively underserved area?

UN Plaza:







St Marys Square



Franklin Square



Prospect Park





Duval County Courthouse

[thelakelander]

The courthouse plaza is a perfect location for food trucks and a cheap form of programming to generate activity in this fairly large green space that leadership appears to be completely overlooking.  I wish Olio all the luck in the world but I'm skeptical that a lunch bus will be the answer to their situation.



lunch at Toronto's Nathan Phillips Square on Queen Street....five years ago!

Nathan Phillips Square is an urban plaza that forms the forecourt to Toronto City Hall, or New City Hall, at the intersection of Queen Street West and Bay Street, and named for Nathan Phillips, mayor of Toronto from 1955 to 1962. The square opened in 1965, and, as with the City Hall, the square was designed by architect Viljo Revell. The square is the site of concerts, art displays, a weekly farmers' market, the winter festival of lights, and other public events, including demonstrations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Phillips_Square

[John P]

Instead of encouraging food trucks to undercut the resturants who made investment in DT how about encouraging the food trucks to make a investment DT and open up a little restuarant.

[thelakelander]

Perhaps if we left more buildings standing there would be more opportunity for brick and mortar investment in LaVilla for small businesses.  Nevertheless, it's a free market society right?  If so, why does it have to be either or?  Btw, a few trucks are actually operated by brick and mortar restaurants in town.  We had at least two at the Jax Truckies event earlier this Spring.

[fieldafm]

Instead of encouraging food trucks to undercut the resturants who made investment in DT how about encouraging the food trucks to make a investment DT and open up a little restuarant.

The type of attitude that relies on sticking your head in the sand, instead of working for viable solutions, is the same thinking that got downtown into it's current state.  There are win-win opportunities for everyone here. 

What buildings do you propose a small busines move into?  They would literally have to build their own structure from scratch b/c all the space around the courthouse has been bulldozed.  What small business owner can afford to build out space under those conditions? 

[fieldafm]

Btw, a few trucks are actually operated by brick and mortar restaurants in town.  We had at least two at the Jax Truckies event earlier this Spring.

Bingo:

they also allow existing brick and mortars to expand their reach (Bruccis and Monroes for instance already do that here).

[Garden guy]

Who are all of these wonderful restaurants downtown that dont want trucks and why are'nt they offering something people want? This citys conservative right wing council has spoken as they have in the past and we can see where that has got us.When will the change happen? Next cycle? Who's running to replace?