Columbia food truck owners are trying to find more parking for their trucks downtown. Currently, food trucks are only allowed to park in certain areas permitted by the city, including Cherry Street from Sixth to Seventh and Locust Street from Ninth to Tenth Streets.
Bryan Maness, owner of the Ozark Mountain Biscuit Company Food Truck, says he thinks the additional spaces will give downtown diners a new, unique option.
“I think that there’s a lot of different dining options for consumers in the District, and food trucks present an option that is not currently available downtown,” Maness says. “I don’t necessarily feel like food trucks take away from any business that a brick and mortar restaurant may have.”
Mid-Missouri Missouri Restaurant Association Director David Maxwell says most restaurants in the downtown area are open to the idea of increasing spots for food trucks.
“Our members and other restaurants love food, or they wouldn’t be in this business. And they enjoy the variety that the food trucks offer, and the food trucks and operators of the food trucks are business people, and they understand what they’re up against,” Maxwell said.
The new parking spots would include North 8th Street off Broadway, on Walnut Street between 10th and Orr Streets, and Alley A.
The Downtown Community Improvement District board will soon evaluate the proposed new spots and give a recommendation to City Council.