Thursday, March 11, 2010
It’s no secret: A long night out drinking can lead to late-night cravings.
Jason Mandel, a sophomore from Chicago, and Justin Sharkan, a sophomore from Wilmete, Ill., have a plan to capitalize on this reality — or at least try to.
Jason Mandel, a sophomore from Chicago, and Justin Sharkan, a sophomore from Wilmette, Ill., are petitioning the city of Lawrence to have a hot dog cart downtown. The city currently mandates that food carts close at 9 p.m.
Video
Two students petitioning Lawrence's vending regulations
Jason Mandel and Justin Sharkan are petitioning the city of Lawrence to allow food cart vendors downtown at night. Lawrence currently requires all street vendors to shut down at 9 p.m.
The two students have decided to petition the city to keep a hot dog stand open downtown until 2:30 a.m. after last call when hungry patrons filter outside, looking for the nearest place for a bite to eat. Current city restrictions require food carts to close at 9 p.m.
“We want to put it on Sixth Street between Massachusetts and New Hampshire, next to the Safe Bus stop,” said Mandel, a business major.
The idea came to Mandel while visiting his sister at the University of Iowa when he was in high school.
“We would go to the bars at night and want some food,” Mandel said. “They had these stands with hot dogs, shish kebabs, walking tacos, and they turned out to be a really popular thing.”
He said that once he realized Lawrence didn’t have any food carts open as late as the bars because of current regulations, he could make a similarly successful venture locally – not to mention make a few extra bucks.
“I do like the entrepreneurial spirit of these two gentlemen,” said city commissioner Lance Johnson. “If there’s anyway we can, I’d like to encourage that.”
But the enterprise still has a ways to go. Mandel and Sharkan submitted a letter of intent and a business plan to get their idea started. They then met with city officials to write an ordinance that commissioners will address in the future.
Mandel projected it would cost about $4,000 to start the business. Once things are up and running, he said, he could possibly hire other students and keep the stand open four days a week for four hours each night.
For now, the two sophomores wait for a call to plead their case in front of the commission, which has not scheduled them yet.
“I wouldn’t think it would drag out very long, especially with spring coming,” Johnson said. “I hope we don’t hold up the process too much.”
Vice Mayor Mike Amyx said he didn’t know of any existing restriction that would prevent the request from being granted.
“I think new ideas are always difficult for some people to wrangle,” Amyx said. “If it works out in locations in other cities, then why not contemplate doing it here?”
RESERVATIONS
Mandel said the downtown business association, Downtown Lawrence, Inc., has expressed concerns about the idea.
Jane Pennington, executive director of Downtown Lawrence, Inc., cited safety and unfair competition as two concerns.
“Most of the trouble that happens downtown late at night is outside of a bar,” Pennington said. “If there is congregation outside of this place, there is the potential to cause problems.”
Pennington said restaurants and merchants had to pay rent and property taxes, which puts a sidewalk stand that doesn’t have to pay the extra costs at an unfair advantage.
Johnson said that he understood the concerns about safety and that more police could be added to the area to address those concerns.
He and Amyx both said they didn’t think Mandel and Sharkan’s food cart would be much competition to local restaurants.
“A person who would be purchasing food from a food cart would not be the same client that would stop into a restaurant,” Amyx said.
He said the best way to approach the proposal is through compromise.
“There are reasons why there is a time restriction,” Amyx said. “But I think if certain areas are identified where they can sell after hours, then maybe that’s how we can come to a middle ground.”
Despite the controversy that has surfaced from his plan, Mandel said he was still hopeful it would succeed.
He also said the stand would give downtown more of a college-town vibe.
“I’m kind of surprised Kansas doesn’t already have it,” he said.
— Edited by Jesse Rangel
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Comments
Students propose late-night downtown hot dog stand
This is a great idea. Go for it!
Students propose late-night downtown hot dog stand
I like this idea. We need one on every street corner. Gives me another option besides Jimmy John's, Taco Bell and McDonalds while I'm at work...
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