Saturday, September 3, 2011

Local Business Love

We kicked off the Labor Day weekend by going to Moveable Feast in San Mateo, a food truck event happening the first Friday of every month.  The food truck craze has taken the nation by storm.  So much so that Food Network has a realty TV show devoted to just food trucks.  Yes, drama does ensue in the lives of these proprietors.  Over the past year, food trucks have moved east and south, offering food outside of San Francisco.  As a result, food truck events have been popping up everywhere

It's a win-win.  Consumers are able to taste a variety of different foods and learn that creative and innovative and damn tasty eats can be hashed out of a food truck.  Local businesses / entrepreneurs can showcase their cooking chops and interact with their customers in a whole new way.

While all of this is fine and dandy, that's not to say that there isn't criticism associated with these food trucks.  The most resonating is the fact that some trucks will charge you and arm and a leg for their food.  Sometimes it's worth it, and unfortunately, sometimes it's not.  You'll often hear me say that I'll drop good money for quality food.  And so, when I fork out $7-$10 for an entree from a food truck, it better deliver the goods.  I do believe that some businesses will charge a higher rate simply because the appeal and allure of a "food truck" somehow elevates the food.  For instance, I paid $7 for a grilled cheese sandwich, with prosciutto and basil aioli.  It was good.. but, I ultimately felt like given the same ingredients, I could've produced the same sammich. And it certainly wasn't worth the price tag. 

That being said, it's a balance.  Support these local businesses without breaking the bank (or being exploited).  At the end of the night, after hours spent noshing on sammiches, Hawaiianese, Vietnamese, desserts and more, and chilling with the community of food truck-ees, it was clear to me that these events are really great for the community.  It brings an awareness to these "Mom-and-Pop" shops and, in many cases, deservedly so. 

The last vendor we visited tonight wasn't even a food truck.  It was a clothing company called Vivi Kids, selling mainly children's wear.  The proprietors are a boyfriend-girlfriend duo who have a love of graphic design that they bring it to the masses.  They're both cool cats and down-to-earth, and I felt really good about supporting their business. 


We had seen them during a couple months back at the same event.  We hadn't purchased anything but liked their stuff.  This time around, we bought a shirt for my godson [4T! so that he has room to grow] with, as I would later learn, their latest character, Po Panda. 


As we were leaving, I said to my hubby, "It really does feel good supporting local businesses.  I hope they survive in this economy."  It's a rough world out there, in every aspect, even more so when you're hustling every day.  But a good, quality product will find its audience and grow.  All the best..!  Live strong and thrive.

No comments:

Post a Comment