KAILUA-KONA — The mobile food industry has a tendency to be inconspicuous and elusive. It’s part of the charm.
But for years, due to laws that render food vending on county roads and streets illegal, food trucks and tents were almost non-existent on the west side of Hawaii Island. There was no anchor for the industry ranks and its prospective members anywhere in Kona — at least not until March 1 of this year.
Former County Director of Research and Development Kawehi Inaba and departmental consultant Vivian Landrum decided to change that eight months ago after Inaba returned from a trip to New York City. The mobile food industry’s booming presence there, characterized by its loud flavors and rainbow demographics, knocked Inaba off her feet.
She reached out to Landrum upon her return to Hawaii, and the two began working immediately on a pilot program known as Kona Street Eatz to support mobile food vendors.
“We wanted to create and support an industry Hawaii Island people could get their heads around and that could help their economic situation,” Inaba said. “And it is an awesome way for our tourists to experience local-style cuisine not readily available.”
Some or all of the program’s participants can now be found serving customers in a vacant lot between Big Island Honda and the West Hawaii Today offices on Kuakini Highway five days per week. The lot is closed on Sundays and thus far, none of the proprietors have made use of it on Wednesdays.
The county subleases the lot from Honda for $2,000 monthly — substantially less than what Honda pays to maintain control of the property.
“As business owners, it’s part of our responsibility to help make Kona successful,” said Honda’s General Manager Marty Barger.
So far, five different food trucks or stands have taken advantage of the venue. Cool Runnings, a food truck serving Jamaican-inspired cuisine, is owned and operated by Andrew Fisher — or Chef Fish, his preferred moniker. Chef Fish is Kona Street Eatz’ only full-time proprietor and pays $400 in rent monthly.
Island Roots, a shrimp truck; Kona Dog, a gourmet hot dog stand; 808 Cheesecake, which serves a variety of takes on dessert; and Holoholo Shave Ice operate on the lot either one or two days per week — paying either $100 per month or $200 per month depending on frequency of use. Fridays are the most bustling, as patrons can find all five food trucks or stands operating at Kona Street Eatz from 11:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Joaquin Botello — who has owned and operated Kona Dogs with his girlfriend and partner, Bethany Beachey, for a year and a half — runs his business as a stand and not a truck due to personal preference.
“I spent a decade staring at the same stainless steel, brick and mortar four walls for extended periods of time,” said Botello, who is a French-trained chef with a 10-year background in fine dining. “Now that I’ve had the opportunity to experience different backdrops throughout the week, I’ve really started to enjoy that.”
The privelege of working in the open air has come with a price, however. Currently, the Hawaii Department of Health only offers permits to food stands that allow the stands to operate in one location for 20 days every four months.
That doesn’t mean Botello can only operate one day in six. It does mean he can only operate one day of six in a specific location and is then forced to move. That issue is complicated by the limited number of spaces in which it is actually legal for a food vendor to operate under county code.
But good news is on the horizon for vendors like Botello.
Peter Oshiro, environmental health program manager for the Department of Health, said there has already been administrative approval to change those rules, allowing food vendors to operate in legal areas as frequently as they choose — the same way that food trucks operate now.
The initial concerns that led to the soon-to-be-amended regulations dealt with environmental contamination from outdoor cooking. However, as long as potentially hazardous foods that can provide fertile growth sites for dangerous bacteria are marinated, prepped, chopped and cleaned in an approved kitchen — the same guidelines that apply to food trucks — then final cooking and service can take place at approved sites with unlimited frequency.
Oshiro said the department is hoping to implement the changes by late August after holding public hearings, at which point yearlong permits will be issued to anyone interested in starting any type of mobile food business. The only potential roadblock would be if staunch opposition to an expanding mobile food industry were to arise in public hearings.
Deputy Director of Research and Development Don Mende said that he’s heard no complaints from local factions since Kona Street Eatz opened but rather smatterings of support as the presence of the food trucks have potential to increase foot traffic in commercial areas.
Shauna Yusko, a teacher at Konawaena Elementary School, said she and her colleagues are thrilled with the county’s new endeavor.
“I come from an area, Seattle, where everybody has food trucks,” Yusko said. “I think it’s great for locals and tourists. A lot of the people I work with follow (vendors) around.”
Landrum, who served as president of the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce for nine years, manages Kona Street Eatz. She hopes the temporary pilot program is just the beginning and is kicking around plans to open a permanent venue at the Old Kona Airport parking area.
Chef Fish is a proponent of a full-time site, saying it would benefit the businesses substantially to be able to offer dinner service.
“Research has shown that food trucks (and stands) will generate 3-4 percent of total restaurant revenue by 2017,” Landrum said. “We needed a safe, legal place to operate and to promote (culinary) diversity.”
