Buy a hot dog! (Bethlehem, South Bethlehem: casino, tax, live)

[loose cannon]

Buy a hot dog from Edwin Padill at his South New St. stand and tell the vendors who oppose him being there to stick it! Also, send e-mails to the mayor and tell him to support free enterprsise capitalism!

[karen_s]

I totally agree! Here's the story for anyone interested:
Bethlehem hot dogs: Hot dog vendor in Bethlehem vows not to move -- themorningcall.com

[urban analysis therapist]

Ah yes....hot dog cart guy. I've seen the cart by La Lupita, as well as similar looking carts by Rauch Business Center on campus. I've always found him to be a curiosity around here, considering that cart food is totally nonexistent around here. Never actually had one of his hot dogs, but the story makes me hungry for one.

As for the restaurant owner's claims: how can he possibly interfere with their businesses? Let's see...one place sells Mexican food, a couple of places sells pizza, one's a typical Greek diner, one sells Indian food, a couple sell sandwiches and subs, and one's an expensive Irish pub/family restaurant. If somebody wants a hot dog, they'll buy a hot dog. None of those places sell hot dogs. It's pretty simple.

That said, La Lupita is probably most threatened by the hot dog cart, mostly because it's located right next to the restaurant.

[virangos]

I agree except I think the trouble is it's taking up one of the precious parking spaces. Hmmmm I thought America was a free country. Shows what I know.LOL

[toobusytoday]

Did you all see the article in today's paper? City merchants dog vendors -- themorningcall.com I thought the local restaurants kind of had a point. They are also trying to stay afloat and support a family but their overheads are a lot higher. I'm not sure who is right.

[urban analysis therapist]

I typed my last post in a hurry, and forgot that Greekers sold hot dogs as well.

Here's today's Morning Call and Express-Times coverage of the story:
City merchants dog vendors -- themorningcall.com

South Side Bethlehem business owners urge city council to disallow street vendors - lehighvalleylive.com

Not sure why the Funhouse owners are complaining - aren't they a dive pub that hosts bands and such? Doesn't seem like much of a lunchtime place, but I'm kinda afraid to step foot in there. Really, the only complaint that makes sense would be Billy of Greekers because he sells hot dogs as well, and even his reasons for opposing the cart seem weak.

All these complaints - the cart is paying much less for its space and permit; it's stealing customers from us; etc. - sound like bad excuses towards keeping the status quo. Honestly, the general feeling I get from South Bethlehem restauranteurs, save a couple here and there, is laziness and complacency. The complacency towards keeping business as is with no real changes - generally mediocre and somewhat overpriced food to serve the masses; the laziness to go beyond the bounds and do something different besides the regular same-old, same-old.

That's the only reason I can think of why the established restaurant owners feel so threatened by, of all things, a hot dog cart. They don't fear the hot dog cart by itself; no, they fear that more enterprising food vendors will make their way down to South Bethlehem and start shaking up the establishment. Billy of Greekers sums up this fear with this quote: ''Vending is not the way to build a community.'' Oy vey!

The funny thing is that in the end, if more vendors are able to get permits and start their own businesses, people will start coming to South Bethlehem to eat. And this will ultimately help the restaurant owners who feel so threatened right now. Doesn't that sound like a great way to 'build a community'?

[urban analysis therapist]

I just had lunch at another vendor's cart. Two guys have set up a cart in front of Sotto Santi, with owner Anthony's permission, and are selling Sabrett hot dogs, Italian Sausages and peppers, kielbasas, cheeseburgers, and other things. It was a really good lunch.

The original hot dog guy (Edwin Padilla) has gotten a ton of business since the Morning Call and Express-Times wrote their first articles on the South Bethlehem restaurant owners signing a petition to kick him off the streets. In fact, Anthony of Sotto Santi was one of those who signed the petition, until he wised up and realized it was a losing proposition. And both carts (there's also a Philly Cheese Steak cart as well) have gotten a steady stream of press from both papers since the first articles.

As for Mr. Padilla's cart: I had lunch at his cart on Sunday, when nobody was around. It was a good cheap lunch, if not especially filling - the hot dogs were pretty small.

And the best part of this whole situation is this: it's a total win for the citizens and customers of South Bethlehem, as well as for people visiting the city. This was definitely the shakeup this depressed downtown has needed.

[loose cannon]

I heard Tina and Nico of the Bistro whining about the hot dog vendor today. It was despicable.

[urban analysis therapist]

I walked around Fourth Street today at noontime, between Goosey Gander to the west and the Caribbean place that's slated to replace the fish-and-chips place to the east. I saw some positive changes coming.

What changes? Like Nawab offering a takeout buffet at $4.99 a lb. Like people starting to come out, see what all the fuss is about, and staying to eat. The energy level around Fourth Street was like nothing I've seen before on a regular Friday afternoon.

After 10 minutes of walking, I wanted a cheesesteak at the Goose, saw how many people were there, and went to La Lupita instead (which was my original plan anyway). I definitely made a good choice.

See...the new Casino is doing just as it was designed for - attracting people to the Casino to gamble, and to nowhere else. The City officials can claim all they want about how it's generating tax revenue and attracting people to downtown. But IMO, the Casino only serves to help itself, and does almost nothing to its surrounding communities or the rest of the city. It creates imbalances in the city that no amount of optimistically-realistic tax revenues can fix.

So now's not the time for the South Bethlehem restaurant owners to hide in their shells and to claim that the status quo is all that's needed to keep the community thriving. With the new Casino looming large and taking away patrons from the Downtowns, now is the time to start coming up with new innovations and new variations to bring in new patrons.

Some drastic changes can be bad and simply overkill-overreactions (see the Bethlehem Plaza Mall on Broad Street in the 70's) borne out of desperation. But South Bethlehem isn't desperate yet, and I see nothing wrong with the changes wrought about so far. And as long as the changes aren't too widespread and rapid, I can't see them hurting the City as a whole.

[urban analysis therapist]

Here's a fun article, not about the South Bethlehem food scene, but the Manhattan food scene. But you can pick off a lot of similar elements - turf wars, street vendors, etc.

Mod cut - Imagine a really cute picture here.... or click on the link

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/01/dining/01truck.html