Peoria is taking another look at whether to allow food trucks to operate in the city. The question is resurfacing more than two years after a narrow defeat by the city council. Peoria Public Radio’s Alex Rusciano reports some business owners and one food truck owner are weighing-in on what seems to be a polarizing issue:
The question emerged from being stuck in neutral last month when Peoria City Councilman Ryan Spain raised the idea of re-examining the question of whether to allow food trucks in the city:
“I hope that with food trucks, this is just my view, that we might attract a few more people downtown. But I also think we have huge opportunities to retain more of the people that work downtown, that are constantly leaving to go somewhere else.”
In 2012, people dug into positions on both sides of the food truck debate. Supporters said the food vehicles would boost competition and be more of a draw. But some owners of bricks and mortar restaurants in Peoria said allowing the mobile food trucks would hurt business. Others who have push carts on the courthouse square in spring and summer agreed.
Andrew Speck owns Haddad’s Downtown and also operates a stationary food cart at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. He was opposed to the idea during the first food truck debate:
“We were trying to build our own clientele without having to worry about more competition out there possibly taking business away from us. But since then I’ve softened a little bit on the position. When they’re talking about food trucks now, I say bring in a couple, but with restrictions.”
Speck says he could support allowing food trucks under specific requirements. He says he wants to see the trucks put near areas that draw people towards other bricks-and-mortar restaurants, and higher fees for out-of-town food trucks.
“Where basically they have a set location, they have set hours of operation that they need to operate out of, just to keep them from saying, ok well business isn’t good here, I’m going to roll down the road.”
But in addition to Speck owning a bricks and mortar establishment as well as a stationary food cart permit, his father-in-law also owns Haddad’s Restaurant on Main Street and operates a successful stationary push cart on the Courthouse Square.
West Peoria resident Karen Harris owns the Nacho Mama’s Grilled Cheese food truck. She operates mostly in Bloomington-Normal and Tazewell County. She says allowing food trucks would take away the hassle of getting temporary permits to set up for Peoria events, and also draw more people to the city:
“Peoria’s one of the biggest cities in Illinois, and it does not have food trucks, it’s not food truck friendly. So I get a lot of weird questions from people in Bloomington-Normal, well why don’t you sell in Peoria? Because it’s illegal. And then they’re like ‘What, really, illegal in Peoria?’ Yeah, they’re illegal.”
Harris says she welcomes more competition among area businesses and food trucks alike.
That’s a sentiment shared by Ty Paluska, who’s a co-owner and roaster at Thirty-Thirty Coffee on Main Street, and a supporter of food trucks:
“We’re at a generation I think that believes and knows, understands that competition is a very good thing. Especially in the craft world, because it really makes you push and make sure you’re on your game. So if someone’s out here selling coffee right outside our door, for one I think that’s a hypothetical thing that most people wouldn’t have the gall to do. But if they do, it’s like hey, we got to be on our game and make sure we’re doing our thing right.”
City staff are talking with business owners to gather input before coming back to council with a new formal food truck proposal. At least one of the collaborators with the Whiskey City Group suggests if Peoria is to maintain the status of an All-American City it seems necessary to have such features. The Whiskey City Group is asking people to weigh-in on both sides of the food truck debate on their website. A link is available by clicking here.