Abbot Kinney is giving food trucks and all other autos the same old heave-ho that Venice dealt to both Coffee Bean and Pinkberry recently, in a new ordinance that forbids mobile restaurants from parking on the trendy street during the city’s monthly First Fridays. What’s happened here?
The new ordinance seeks to reverse the fortunes of what was once an art and shop-browsing festival that has more recently become a full-on buffet of four-wheels caterers that leaves the street crammed with people and trash while fewer store spaces participate with open doors. The food trucks have not been as popular with local businesses as they have with buzzed event-goers, with Venice Beachhead offering that the trucks “don’t seem to fit in” and store owners complaining about the trash they leave behind and general bad attitude.
Yo Venice! carries the full announcement, which comes from a collection of local stores as a first salvo “in the merchant community’s ongoing efforts to preserve Abbot Kinney’s unique appeal by restoring a measure of balance and order.”
Will the food trucks find new adjacent spaces for “First Fridays” or simply go elsewhere, losing what is clearly sure-footing to lure in new customers? One thing is for certain, it sounds like there will be plenty of room on the sidewalk here for a change.
“No Parking” for Food Trucks on AK Next First Friday [Yo! Venice!]
Earlier: Abbot-Kinney’s Food Truck Love Affair Hits A Bump in the Road [Grub Street]
