A real estate developer is planning to open a permanent food truck park on the north edge of downtown.
Charlotte-based Kenneth Bell owns the vacant lot at 1250 N. Patterson Ave. He also owns the former Samaritan Ministries building across the street at 1243 N. Patterson.
Bell said he first purchased the Samaritan building and then purchased a vacant lot when the opportunity arose without having any concrete plans for the property.
Bell is working with local food trailer owner Joe Olson of Kuya Bear Foods to run the park. “I’m really interested in food,” Bell said, “and I’ve traveled and seen some similar things, so I reached out to Joe and asked if he’d be interested.”
Olson also noted that this is an idea that’s popular in other places: “Food trucks and trailers in other cities that I follow online park in food truck areas. I thought this was really cool and I thought Winston needed one too. I think it’s something that would appeal to people around here.”
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The parking lot is located at the intersection of Patterson and Northwest streets, next to the Alexander R. Beatty Public Safety Training & Support Center.
Bell thinks the lot could accommodate up to 17 trucks, and maybe a few smaller businesses. He and Olson plan to have a mix of trucks that will be stationed there most of the time and a few that will rotate in and out. It could also serve as a convenient pickup point for DoorDash and other businesses, Olson said.
Bell said customers can park at Samaritan Building across the street.
He said he is currently working with the city to rezone the site, which will also include portable toilets, picnic tables and shade covers, as well as electricity and water for truck drivers.
He said lighting and security cameras will also be added.
Bell said he hopes to have the park open by the end of July. “Right now we have a list of 25-foot trucks that have expressed interest,” he said.
Bell also has plans for the old Samaritan Building, which he plans to use for two purposes: as a food distribution kitchen for food trucks and as an event space.
Trucks and other small food operations don’t have their own commercial kitchens, so they need a commissary or inspected kitchen for storage, preparation and sometimes cooking. Bell plans a basic prep kitchen with a sink, walk-in refrigerator and dry storage, but no cooking. Anyone interested in a food truck park can contact Bell at kenneth@kbholdingsdevelopment.com.
