Lea este artículo en español aquí.
Oct. 18, 2021, Joseph Elmhorst, owner of The Steak Stop, appeared before the Hollister City Council to propose a location in the downtown area that would serve as a permanent base for food trucks like his to gather. Now, just a few blocks from the location he first proposed, Hollister is making his vision come true for five weeks, from Oct. 17 through Nov. 14.
“I knew it was gonna happen eventually,” Elmhorst said.
The trucks will make use of the 6th and East Street public parking lot on Tuesdays, where, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., up to 15 trucks will be serving a wide variety of dishes, from the famous Hapa Bros chicken sandwiches to Toney Canty’s chili dogs and everything in between.
“People kept asking if we could keep the farmers market year-round,” said Omar Rosa, Hollister Downtown Association executive director. “We can’t do that, so we asked ourselves what is the next best thing. And we thought this would keep people coming back to downtown up until the holiday season.”
The response from food truck owners so far has been enthusiastic, with many regulars from the farmers market signing up to participate.
“We are really excited about the city keeping some sort of food truck event going,” said Aaron Ricketts of the Hapa Bros. “I think the farmers market has proven that Hollister is ready for a food truck lot and I think this is right on that path.”
If Food Truck Tuesdays is well-attended, Rosa said that the association might sponsor a similar event next year beginning in February as a lead-up to the return of the farmers market. For many of the food truck owners, who rely on catering and special events to survive, the Tuesday gathering will provide welcome publicity for their services.
“The farmers market has really been a plus,” said Toney Canty, owner of Canty’s Kitchen. “But a lot of people don’t know about my truck because I’m usually out during the day. But now we will be out for dinner, too, and it is going to be great.”
Some nearby businesses are planning to take advantage of the presence of the trucks and the customers it might bring. Crave Wine Co., for example, is usually closed on Tuesdays but will be open for all five weeks in the early evening.
“We want to be open,” owner Mike Kohne said, “in the spirit of all the people who came down to the farmers market for the variety of foods available and came in to get a glass of wine here. It’s a win-win for us.”
Rosa said he contacted many of the area’s restaurant owners prior to scheduling Food Truck Tuesdays to explain the choice of day and location. Tuesdays, he said, seemed the best day to hold as many restaurants close that day, and the city lot was the best location.
“We put the event in the parking lot because we did not want to be in front of any restaurant or business,” he said. “We are not trying to directly compete with the places downtown.”
Allowing food trucks in the major business areas of the city has been a touchy subject among restaurant owners who say that despite assurances the trucks will not become permanent fixtures, their presence still pulls customers away from established brick-and-mortar restaurants.
“I know they’re trying to make everyone happy, and I respect that,” said Raul Escareno, owner of The Baler, “but maybe they could push it a little bit further from downtown, where we have the majority of the restaurants.”
Elmhorst said he understands the objections made by restaurant owners, but that even with the recent changes Hollister has made to ease zoning restrictions, the food truck business is still not an easy one to navigate.
“We all have to find a way to adapt to this new thing,” he said. “I feel it all comes down to this: if customers find value in your product and services, they will continue to come back and support your establishment, whatever that looks like.”
Food trucks that are tentatively confirmed as participating include:
- Steakstop
- Cafe con Leche
- Ohana Shave Ice
- Hapa Bros
- Ivan’s Baked Potatoes
- El Guapo
- Tropical Fruit Drinks
- Canty’s Kitchen
- Tacos Las Cascada
- Cantu’s Barbecue
- Klamaronzitos
We need your help. Support local, nonprofit news! BenitoLink is a nonprofit news website that reports on San Benito County. Our team is committed to this community and providing essential, accurate information to our fellow residents. It is expensive to produce local news and community support is what keeps the news flowing. Please consider supporting BenitoLink, San Benito County’s public service, nonprofit news.