OK, so here it goes my rant into the way of things here in Golden in regards to the mobile food vending situation.
We started our venture this summer with a food concession trailer business, taking a lot of our time and effort getting everything worked out, trying to serve great homemade food. And after dealing with some problems with this town’s rules, we managed to find a spot just out of town in the rest area about 10 kilometres east, and what a great spot it is. But with the rules and regulations of the Ministry of Transportation, we cannot put signs anywhere near the road/highway, which is preventing a lot of our business.
We are new to the whole thing and kinda new to the Golden area, but we are trying something new, a way to stay in Golden year round and not have to relocate from this beautiful little town.
But as winter approaches, and one of the worst summers ever traffic-wise being from either a mixture of things (the weather, economy, highway construction, whatever) it’s been hard business wise to make any money out here. So here we look, a few months before winter will come again, and realize with the town not having a by-law for mobile vending we will have no place to go.
Our whole plan from the start was to vend in town, but found out fast enough that was going to happen only one day a week at the Farmers’ Market. We’re a small business, not out there to take business away from other food establishments. Our menu is simple, and our food is quick. If we’re stealing anyone’s business, well McDonalds I’m sorry, but I think you’ve got all you need.
We are even willing to vend outside of town on the strip at a few locations that have been approved already, but due to the No BY-LAW we cannot obtain a license. Of course we could be the bad guys and just go vend in town anyway at any location due to the fact there are no by-law officers or courts. But we don’t want to be that way and eventually get taken down.
Our only option at this moment is to relocate for the rest of summer to the Okanagan Valley or surrounding areas to try and make enough to get through winter, but we would love to serve all winter long in Golden.
The town has given so much support and love for us and the fries and great poutines that we serve, and we appreciate everything. We don’t want to leave the area and deprive these people of a great poutine, such a rare commodity in B.C.
Golden we love you, thanks for all the support. I hope the Chamber and mayor will try to come up with a by-law soon. This kind of stuff takes a while to process and we know this. We just hope that they make up a good set of rules and regulations for vending in this great town of Golden. Thank you all.
Travis Leblanc
Golden
