Happy, giddy scene at Food Truck Roundup

As the sun set last night, hundreds of people showed up at the Miami Science Museum parking lot for a food truck round up. Florida Heart Research Institute was the beneficiary, as part of the profits went to the charity. The event was part of the museum’s monthly Young Patrons Happy Hour and the museum took part by selling beer and liquor to raise funds, as the trucks do not sell alcoholic beverages.


What was amazing is that by the time the sun was totally set, so many people had shown up at what is usually an empty parking lot, to mix, mingle, eat, drink and hang out among the 20 trucks. If this was in the central business district, they may have strolled around, bar hopped, gallery hopped and shopped.


I had been at a food truck earlier in the day at the Mayfair for lunch, and was astonished to see so many of the same people at the museum for dinner. The same people! They sheepishly laughed and told me they were fans and they followed the trucks all over the place, you know, just blow in their ear.


I ran into one friend who was using a cane, because she recently had foot surgery, she and her friends (one using an oxygen tank), actually came out just to grab dinner and go home, she told me as well as others, that they normally would have just eaten dinner at home on a Thursday night, but they came out especially for the food trucks.


Many had wondered why it was in an empty parking lot in the middle of nowhere and not where it would be more suitable in the center of town. But the museum was smart enough to capitalize and sign up new members while they had so many visitors to their grounds and they made a killing on liquor sales, as well.


A handful of the food trucks will be at Coconut Grove's 4th of July celebration this year in Peacock Park, this was the Chamber's idea, since none of the Grove restaurants cared to set up booths in the park, which is totally understandable. The restaurants in the Grove are packed on 4th of July, they don't need to be selling food in the park. And the great part is that the Chamber will now capitalize on the fact and sell lots of Sam Adams beer to the food truck groupies who will show up.


And trust me, there will be plenty of people here on 4th of July because of the food trucks. The trucks have their following and their fans will show up in Peacock Park for the trucks, they will stick around and drink, and shop and enjoy the Grove. They may enjoy it so much that many of these young urban professionals, who we have not seen around here for quite awhile, may come back the weekend after that and the weekend after that.


Many of the new visitors who come to the Grove because of the food trucks, may actually become fans of the Grove thanks to the food trucks. This is the residual effect of the trucks. And while everyone is so concerned about what the restaurants think of the trucks, how about the merchants who sit there twiddling their thumbs daily? Does anyone ask what they think? Right now the Grove restaurants are not bringing enough business to the rest of the Grove. Maybe the trucks will. They in fact, probably will. Let's start doing what's right for everyone.


The city of North Miami is thinking about taxing the trucks or charging some sort of fee. Maybe that is the answer. But this is something that is here to stay. I saw so many Grovites last night, as well as so many people from outside the area, who were like kids in a candy store. They were giddy. While so many people in the Grove want to keep the trucks out, the joke is on them, because the locals are leaving the Grove to follow the trucks and so are many potential Grove visitors. So while the Grove sat empty last night, it was a totally hip, hopping scene at the Miami Science Museum just up the road which went well into the night with laughter and happy people -- young, urban happy people, with plenty of money to spend.