The Gunbarrel Commons (GC) food truck party story and how I choose trucks
HISTORY -- In 2010, I started CU’s food truck program on east campus and had trucks coming five days a week. I got to know “my truckies” and promoted their visits to the surrounding businesses. A few years later, CU food services took it over the program and started charging hefty fees. My truckies could no longer afford to come and went elsewhere. On a morning walk one day, I looked at GC park and thought, “This would be a perfect place to have food truck parties! Best of all, it’s private and the road is in the county, not the city, so that alleviates many restrictions. And, I can help my truckies with some new business. I think I’ll look into this!” I asked the parks board, did a practice party on Oct. 29, 2011, and the rest is history. WHY I DO THIS I do this as a volunteer around my full-time job. I do it just for fun, to make my neighbors
happy, because I love food, and to help the truckies. Win-win! I don’t get
paid. As a matter of fact, I buy the signs and anything else needed. I put
together the program (see below), manage the trucks, gather their legal
paperwork, work with the park and complex boards, and call around to find a fill-in if a truck has to cancel. I post flyers at complexes to
promote the series, put up and take down street signs before and after each
event, host parties once a month from before the trucks arrive till they begin to leave (I did them twice a month 2010-2014.). I move
garbage cans and do a walkabout for trash after it’s over. I even escort the
truckies to the the pool bathroom as needed. [I’m always looking for
backup hosts to be on call in case I’m sick or on vacation the night of a party
- contact me if you want to volunteer.] I truly have fun and love meeting my
neighbors and seeing their smiles. It's my own big party once a month! And, I love my truckies! But, this isn’t a
job and I don’t get paid. And, I don’t know of anyone waiting in the wings to
take over when I decide to stop.
THE TRUCK PROGRAM When I got permission to start the truck parties for the 2012 season, the park's board, the trucks, and I all agreed on five trucks. This was the magic number for the trucks to do good business, yet keep
the lines reasonable. As well, it was the most the board wanted. [In 2013, they allowed me to bring a sixth truck on board.] I choose trucks and owners that I know and trust (see below) and
whose foods compliment each other, not compete. Ours are some of the best trucks around. I schedule the trucks in mid-winter, before they book up for the season. There are many neighborhood series that I compete against, as well as breweries. It’s hard to
find good, available trucks...and once the season kicks in, most bets are off. I guarantee my truckies the whole season series because they want gigs that they can count on and think this gig is a great one. My truckies are
loyal to me so I’m loyal to them. So, short of
attrition, the best way to get into the series is to get on my Fill In List so I might call if I have a cancellation. I don't juggle trucks as I don't have the time or desire to play booking agent as all summer. In the end, for as many folks that like variety, we have folks that count on certain trucks each week so they can order their favorites. QUALITIES I LOOK FOR IN A TRUCK -- Great food that our customers will love! I need to try
the food first before I will consider a truck for the series and also try to do so also before adding them to the backup list. But I may make exceptions with trusted recommendations. -- Their food needs to compliment the rest of the lineup, and not compete with a current trucks. Variety is good. Unique is good. -- Owners who I like and can work well with and who will follow our guidelines:
-- Agree not to heavily promote the events to the public as
GC is a private park and we don’t want to get big (like Prospect). Truck's announcements to their Facebook/Twitter followers are fine. Ours is a
family-oriented, neighborhood event. Non-park owners are welcome, but they
aren’t our main audience and things could change if we have problems. -- Be OK with the fact we don’t have a public bathroom. Truckies need to find me to escort them to the poolhouse if they need to go. -- If a truck is considered for the series, we ask they be loyal. Trucks must intend to make all series dates, baring technical difficulties, sickness, or unique special circumstances (i.e. a huge truck party they can’t refuse like Truckit!). Give me as much notice as possible if they have to cancel. Help me find a backup if I need help and they can do so. We don’t want to be treated as fill-ins around better gigs. I have a list of great trucks who want to get into this series, so trucks need to treat us as they would like us to treat them if they want to stick around. That said, if our series doesn't work out well for them, I'd wish them well if they wanted to bow out. OTHER VENDORS OR SOLICITORS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS Bring your blankets and chairs and have a lovely evening. Gunbarrel Commons is a private park belonging to five complexes (Powderhorn, Huntington Point, Willowbrook, Hunter Creek, Habitat). That said, it is open to the public. Please respect our park. Pick up your litter. It is a dog park, so bring your dog if they are well behaved around people and other dogs - and pick up after them. No loud music that may bother the neighbors (thus don’t look forward to any amplified bands). Please don’t park on the Indigo Court side of the park where the trucks park – we will ask you to move. We reserve the right to ask anyone to leave if they are disturbing the peace. HAVE FUN |
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