Categorized | Food

County opens Kona Street Eatz food truck park

MEDIA RELEASE

The county has announced the opening of its first mobile food park on Kuakini Highway, Kona Street Eatz.

Located between Big Island Honda and West Hawaii Today, this pilot project aims to support the mobile food industry by providing a safe and legal site for mobile food vendors to start, operate, sustain and grow their business, while also offering consumers more diversity in their dining out experiences.

Presently open 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday and Saturday, a total of six vendors participate in Phase I of the program, with more planned. Not all vendors operate in the park every day, as many are truly “mobile” and operate at other locations as well.

Kona Street Eatz can accommodate up to 16 vendors per day. As more businesses join, days and hours of operation and the number of vendors found each day will increase.

Recognizing the challenges food trucks and mobile food vendors encounter, county director of Research and Development Kawehi Inaba led the effort to find a locale that incorporated the factors necessary for a successful food truck park.

Being close to businesses, high visibility, walkable from downtown and large enough for a variety of vendors were key search criteria.

The Kuakini Highway location was chosen for the first phase of this project as it offered immediate occupancy and provided the perfect soft launch.

Phase II of the project, scheduled for completion by August, moves Kona Street Eatz up the road to Makaeo (Old Airport) Park. This new, permanent location will include seating, shade structures and landscaping.

Festive “foodie” events are planned, including a Food Truck Festival highlighting street grindz fare and great entertainment.

“The County is proud to support the emerging mobile food service industry,” said Inaba. “This new nationwide food truck ‘craze’ fills a consumer demand for local residents and visitors as well. Offering fresh, quality local food on the go is just the beginning. We envision a food truck park that is a true destination.”

Inaba emphasizes the program not only supports the existing mobile food operations and restauranteurs wanting to expand without brick and mortar costs, but also offers an affordable route to new business ownership for those with entrepreneurial spirits.

“Assisting our community in realizing self‐sustainability through their own business ventures is what we are all about,” she adds.

Mobile food vendors interested in joining the program, or anyone interested in starting a mobile food business may contact the County Department of Research and Development at foodtruck@hawaiicounty.gov or 323-4700.

— Find out more:
www.konastreeteatz.com

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