Time to meet Worcester’s Street Vendors
Here are just a few of the individuals Mayor Lukes and Councilor Palmeri insist pose a serious threat to the city of Worcester.
Post by: Brendan | July 22, 2008 | Filed Under The Big Woo, economy, night life, politics, redevelopment
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9 Responses to “Time to meet Worcester’s Street Vendors”
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I’d like to know what the positions of each councilor is on this issue. Does anyone have this info?
We know where Palmieri stands. How much did he make on that deal?
For more info on this issue, see:
Worcester Activist
It must be that menacing Spanish that a couple of those businessmen were speaking. Can’t have that in City Square!
BuckPaxton;
I’ll have to disagree with you but gently…do not want Jon getting all ovah me about being smug or something similiar.
I think the city as usual is being reactionary to the “Big El” issue…that being said I do not think the city is out of line making sure those carts are not outside licensed fodies in the city except maybe during a festival situation..I rarely if ever see vendors outside foodies….in Somerville the one hotdog stand is on Broadway by Trum Field inbetween magoun Sq & Ball Square..Harvard Square has none and either does Porter, Central or Inman Square in Cambridge…the owner of the Dive Bar mentions in his OP-ED piece Fanueil Hall..those vendors pay thousands a month in rent to be there(very poor example)…I was just in downtown Burlington, VT for a weekend..no vendors downtown, in Philly for a few days..no vendors downtown…and they had signs on public ways that vendors where not alowed…Hyannis does not allow em’ on Main Street so I am not sure where most are seeing vendors in other cities…please elaborate:>)
As is the CC..I think many in this city are being reactionary..we are not used to these big city rules happening..shit I got my first parking ticket after being in the city 17 years the other day:>) I laughed!
Vendors should be alllowed but in certain areas where they do not interfere with restaurants and like kind…the cost of doing business period is enough for me…there is such a “we are owed mentality in this city” that folks seem to forget the cost of mortgages, property upkeep, the numerous licenses,new drain traps, inspections…blah,blah,blah..the Hot Dog stand on Elm is acceptable to me..in front of Suney’s and I would say - off-limits!
Why is Fanueil Hall a poor example? If you read this ordinance as it stands today the city of Worcester would ban those thousands of dollars in revenue before they even have a chance to exist. This isn’t just about hot-dogs, the ordinance bans all vendors. Even the City Sq developers were caught off guard with this. They cite Downtown Crossing as a perfect example of how well regulated street vendors play an important role in a cities economy.
It’s a perfect example of both how vendors are important to a city and how short sighted this city can be when laziness rules the day.
well it may not be just about hot dogs but most if not all of the youtube is about food vendors to start off with and most of the discussion has been about street food vendors-that all being said as I have stated “I am for them”..and as I stated on my blog… the City Council is being reactionist to this issue of “The Big El” that should have been dealt with outside of this entire issue and a very long time ago-it was Main South so it was not a pressing issue as it would have been if it was in tatnuck Square-right Kate?…the Main South crowd and it is much more than Councilor Haller & Billy B that have been for a very long time frustrated with “The Big El” and the Tropicana or whatever name it is going by now….
The reason I state Fanueil Hall/Quincy Market as not a good example is because all of those vendors have competition clauses, pay thousands in rent and are on specific property designated for vendors…if you go to other cities (most cities)-street food vendors are usually not found outside restaurants and food districts and for the reasons I stated on my blog and briefly here..they are regulated just like any other business….street food vendors serve a purposes-great along parks, maybe the front of city hall..outside ballgames…in front of Suney’s..not in my opinion!
I don’t think we disagree here to much BuckPaxton
How is a hot dog going to compete with Filet Mignon?
This was never about the restaurants being in danger….and if they are in danger of losing business to diet coke and fried dough….maybe they should think about adjusting their menus.
well understood that this is not borne of hot dog stands outside the Hilltop Steak House on Rt. 1….it is public policy being decided on in a vacuum cause of “The Big El”…an issue that shouldbe dealt with separately.
The City of Worcester is evolving…slowly into a city that has big city public policy..there will be bumps along the way..this issue is a small bump
The Hot Dog stands are not setting up outside establishments selling Filet Mignon that I know of….
There should be a defined public policy on vendor food carts….does anyone know if they are regulated by the health department??
I man the 18 mile aid station at the Boston Marathon and we have explicit directions as to how we pass out the water, store it and the Newton Health Department has been known to monitor
I read the T&G story about the meeting last night(?). It sounds like a reasonable compromise was struck, but the devil is always in the details of implementation/enforcement.
I almost gagged on my Cheerio’s when I saw the (now gone) part of the proposal that required vendors to move 500 feet every 5 minutes. Who comes up with these asinine schemes?