Red Hook Vendors End Tough Season in the Rojo

This weekend marks the end of a turbulent season for the Latin food vendors at the Red Hook ball fields. First the Health Department shut them down entirely, then the Parks Department opened up the vending contracts to outside competition. After considerable public outcry, the beloved vendors were allowed to return, but only after spending close to $50,000 each to purchase new stands. What used to be a festive cluster of open-air grills was turned into a homogeneous row of food carts moved outside the park, powered by loud generators. In short, the city sucked the soul out of scene. Marcos Lainez, who sells Salvadoran food, tells the Brooklyn Paper, "We lost that friendly relationship with the customers and it will never come back." And organizer Cesar Fuentes says the vendors also lost money; because they weren't permitted back until July, none of them "were fully able to recuperate from the financial blow of the season." [Photo Cred]

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By John Del Signore in Food on October 23, 2008 11:30 AM

Comments [rss]

JMH

Thanks, DoH. And Tony Bourdain wonders why street food in NY isn't as good as in other parts of the world.

Ared

Yay, regulation!

whitecastlerock

As these vendors are cash only I do hope they file their tax returns in a timely and accurate manner-reporting all income gained.

breaknight

#7: They don't have mobile food licenses, they have a permit for that park only. It would be great if they could rove around the city, but alas...thank you NYC bureaucrats.

schematic

This is a completely predictable outcome.

I've been to the ballfields before and after, and the place has lost considerable charm by virtue of having the trucks on the street rather than the tents on the fields. That charm is what made people go out of their way -- and it is very out of the way for most people -- and if they stop, these guys are going to have a tough time paying off their trucks.

Bad move by local government here.

JacqueMehoff

if they already have a mobile food vendor license, can they bring their food over across the river?

I'm sure many would appreciate it.

lower manhattan

You forgot the long chainlink fence that now cuts the vendors and their customers off from the park!

handsomedevil

We went later in the season when the initial crush of visitors had died down, and it really wasn't bad. It's still exciting, cheap food in a public park. I hope the vendors come back next year and start to make money.