Shop Around: West Columbia food truck court closer to reality
Christina Suvarna is one step closer to seeing her vision of a West Columbia food truck court come to life.
Suvarna developed her vision earlier this year and approached West Columbia business owners Bill and April McEntire with the idea. The McEntires own a vacant lot next to their business, Outdoor Wood Furniture, at 718 Meeting St. Suvarna wants to lease the vacant lot, at 782 Meeting St., as the site for her HEMI Food Truck Court.
The food court would include tables, chairs, shelters, parking, lighting and restrooms. It would rotate up to 10 food trucks at a time serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
On Monday, the West Columbia City Council gave initial approval to amending the city’s zoning laws to allow the food truck court on Meeting Street. The changes also would regulations for food trucks and food truck courts throughout the city. The proposed amendments require food trucks to operate in compliance with DHEC regulations including being cleaned and re-stocked at a DHEC-licensed restaurant or catering service kitchen.
The amendment also restricts the food court’s operating hours to from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and requires that trucks vacate the site by 10:30 p.m. each day and that the court have an on-site manager during all hours of operation.
The changes require one more approval but Suvarna is optimistic that will happen in time for her to meet her projected open date of March 2016.
“It’s big plans for a small community, but right now is our opportunity to not just take a step forward but to leave our footprint in the future of the food truck and dining industries,” said Suvarna, who believes the West Columbia food truck court will be only the fifth one like it in the nation. “This would put South Carolina in the top five states to embrace this culinary concept.”
So far, four food trucks have committed to being vendors at the court: The Belgian Waffle Truck, Eric’s Que Barbecue, Carolina Cookin’ and CupSide Down Cafe and Bistro.
Shop Around is published every Tuesday and Friday. Send information about new businesses, including restaurants, to Janet Kendall at jjkendall@thestate.com.
This story was originally published November 19, 2015 at 10:52 AM with the headline "Shop Around: West Columbia food truck court closer to reality."