Some businesses in Belleville, Illinois are opposing a proposal to the city council that would allow food trucks to park outside of Shoehorn Brewing in the downtown area. Mike Johnson, owner of Shoehorn, is asking for Food Truck Days, which would bring in food trucks from 5-9 p.m. on Tuesdays and 12-9 on Sundays from March to November, according to a report by First Alert 4.
Currently, the town doesn’t allow food trucks downtown, unless they have special permits. Bennie Parr, owner of Bennie’s Pizza and Pub is concerned over the increased competition from food trucks, especially since he pays extra taxes to be in the downtown area.
« Another business could do that and then another, » Parr said. « Before you know it we could add 15 or 20 food trucks down here. »
Parr argues there needs to be more regulations in place for food trucks.
Johnson believes the food truck proposal will not impact businesses.
« We didn’t want to pick [a] Thursday, Friday, Saturday time frame because we knew that would affect more restaurants downtown, » Johnson said in the report. « Most restaurants are not open on Tuesdays or they’re not open on Sundays so there is more of an opportunity to bring people downtown. »
