Street Food on Bardstown Rd./Baxter Ave.

It seems to me that some kind of street vendor/truck/etc. would make a killing in the Highlands. Two places I can think of would be Mid City Mall or maybe Phoenix Hill parking lot. Does anyone know a reason why none of these kind of merchants have tried to set up there?

[Robin Garr]

It seems to me that some kind of street vendor/truck/etc. would make a killing in the Highlands. Two places I can think of would be Mid City Mall or maybe Phoenix Hill parking lot. Does anyone know a reason why none of these kind of merchants have tried to set up there?

I'd love it! Love to see it turn into something like Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, where you can get anything from tacos to arepas on a weekend night.

My guess is that there are a couple of issues.

1) Regulatory issues. This seems to depend somewhat on the part of town they're in, but in the East End, particularly the Lyndon area, it almost seems as if health inspectors harass food trucks, strictly enforcing the requirement (really meant for State Fair and music festival vendors) that they may stay in one location for only two weeks. I sometimes get the impression that the regulators don't like or don't understand street food. And just guessing here, this COULD stem from ...

2) Competition. They're not all like this, but some restaurateurs can be short-sighted, and may lobby quietly against street vendors because, well, they'd rather have the hungry public inside their places. I think savvy folks would recognize that street fare could heighten the excitement level and attract a buzz and traffic for them all, but ... just guessing here, really.

I'd love a Colombian stuffed arepa vendor on Baxter/Bardstown, or a Greek souvlaki man like we had in Astoria. Ahhhh. A New Orleans weenie wagon? Maybe not so much ...

My friends and I discuss this often...I think food carts would do REALLY well in the Highlands!

http://polpix.sueddeutsche.com/polopoly ... /image.jpg

Here's what you need. Light-weight aluminum. Gas tank in the rear. Wurst grill on the front. German engineering guarantees perfect front-rear balance so no back spasms. Guys stand out there all day with these things and do a brisk business.

I can think of two great spots - Walgreens parking lot on Baxter and the old garage/gas station next to Seviche. One gets you the Irish bar crowd, the other gets you the Boombozz, Seviche, Za's, Cumberland Brews, Cafe 360, etc. crowd.

I can think of two great spots - Walgreens parking lot on Baxter and the old garage/gas station next to Seviche. One gets you the Irish bar crowd, the other gets you the Boombozz, Seviche, Za's, Cumberland Brews, Cafe 360, etc. crowd.

Yes I agree!

I just ran by this one yesterday in the courier. Looks like there is plans for a sort of vendor's mall near slugger field...

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100829/NEWS01/308290019/Main+Street+project+site+to+be+used+for+plaza++parking+in+interim

DO they still plan to stick vendors on the Walking Bridge at Waterfront Park?

[Robin Garr]

I just ran by this one yesterday in the courier. Looks like there is plans for a sort of vendor's mall near slugger field...

Interesting little factoid near the end, though. It's nice to see the Bats' owner give voice to an open secret that they rarely blurt out in public:

Gary Ulmer, president of the Louisville Bats ... said the Bats probably would not be “thrilled” by a bunch of vendors serving food at the front door of Slugger Field. The team’s concession deals at the park prohibit food being brought into the stadium, Ulmer said.

When this policy went into place, they claimed it was for "security." Yeahright ...

I just ran by this one yesterday in the courier. Looks like there is plans for a sort of vendor's mall near slugger field...

Interesting little factoid near the end, though. It's nice to see the Bats' owner give voice to an open secret that they rarely blurt out in public:

Gary Ulmer, president of the Louisville Bats ... said the Bats probably would not be “thrilled” by a bunch of vendors serving food at the front door of Slugger Field. The team’s concession deals at the park prohibit food being brought into the stadium, Ulmer said.

When this policy went into place, they claimed it was for "security." Yeahright ...

God bless Camden Yards (Baltimore). Beyond beautiful with all the carry-ins you desire to bring.

[Robin Garr]

God bless Camden Yards (Baltimore). Beyond beautiful with all the carry-ins you desire to bring.

I understand that Victory Field in Indianapolis encourages picnics. I think our problem here is a team run by bankers with an intense interest in the quarterly balance sheet, which led in turn to concession via the lowest bidder, the very lackluster Centerplate, the firm that the Mets fired. Of course, guess who got the concession for the Toaster Oven arena ...

the Toaster Oven arena ...

I've never heard a called that but that's what I thought it looked like! Of course we may have to call it the billboard after YUM gets all their signs put up.

I understand that Victory Field in Indianapolis encourages picnics.

Robin-
It is my understanding that the 2 picnic areas at Victory Field are catered. I'm not sure they encourage or permit BYO food and beverage. It has been 2 years since I've been to a game there, so I could be wrong (which is not unusual).
Bill

I have a sinking feeling that Metro Louisville would never allow a vibrant food cart scene to exist here.

Just a hunch.

[Robin Garr]

It is my understanding that the 2 picnic areas at Victory Field are catered. I'm not sure they encourage or permit BYO food and beverage. It has been 2 years since I've been to a game there, so I could be wrong (which is not unusual).

Bill, or they could have changed, with Slugger Field as a model?

Here's what I can say for sure: Sometime after Slugger Field opened (holy moly, has it REALLY been 11 seasons at the "new" park?), and most likely in 2002, the first season after 9/11, I wrote an article about the then-new bring-in-food policy, making fun of their "security" claim. At that time, I cited Victory Field's bring-your-own picnics, based both on the Victory Field Website and on a contemporaneous Food Network program about ballpark food that featured Victory's picnics and Slugger's catered dining in the Club suites.

Now that you've raised the issue, I can't testify that this policy remains in effect. But I'm still snickering about Slugger's banker-based policies, and the train wreck that is Centerplate.

Ironically I "enjoyed" the catering at Slugger Field yesterday in one of the Suites ( Company outing). Suffice it to say that lackluster was a perfect description for the food ( though the catering service was good). We turned dowm taking home all the leftovers....

Deb