The Memorial Day Weekend is traditionally celebrated with pool parties, barbeque and good-times. However, on Fourth Avenue, a few merchants rang in the holiday with passive-aggressive power moves and parallel parking wars.
Since it’s grand opening on April 20, local food-truck Geronimo’s Revenge has parked regularly outside of Fourth Avenue main-stay bar, Che’s Lounge. Che’s, as any good denizen of Fourth Avenue knows, is located at the junction of Fourth Avenue and Seventh Street.
While the truck’s customers appreciate that dependability, its welcome hasn’t been unanimous.
US Fries, a local poutine-n-burgers establishment, sits about two hundred feet south of Che’s. Depending on what parking spot is open for the truck to park in, Geronimo’s can end up even closer in proximity.
On Friday, May 27, those parking spots became the scene of a dispute between US Fries and Geronimo’s. That night, a limo belonging to US Fries that is usually used for promotional appearances was parked on Fourth between Che’s and US Fries.
Jeronimo Madril, owner of Geronimo’s, confirmed that in addition to the limo, a large white van was parked in the public parking spot along Seventh Street. That particular spot, which Madril said he usually parks the food-truck in, made it impossible for his business to operate.
Madril didn’t want to comment on the specifics of the incident, but confirmed that both the limo and the van remained parked in place until sometime Sunday.
After the initial Friday incident, US Fries social media accounts received a torrent of bad reviews and admonishment.
“Soggy mess that was saltier than their attitude,” said one Google reviewer. “This place smells, they have had multiple health code issues, and they use two parking spots for their freaking limo,” said another. A search for health code violations by the establishment turns up nothing.
The Tucson Weekly reached out to Tom Jones, the owner of US Fries, but he had no official comment.
However, the backlash prompted US Fries to respond on Google Reviews. That response claimed that, due to Geronimo’s being open “SEVEN DAYS A WEEK” and in such close proximity to US Fries, the company made the decision to park the limo in the parking spot in question.
“Up to three other food vendors are on our block as well,” the statement said. “Though we are for fair competition and wish these vendors well, the situation has created an unfair playing field.”
The statement also claimed US Fries received much more than social media backlash. “US Fries vehicles were vandalized as well,” it said.
While no one currently employed with US Fries would go on record, a former employee who left just before the incident, David Goss, was willing to speak. He said that, in his year with the company, US Fries experienced more than its fair-share of vandalism.
“On two occasions our power was shut off,” he said. “The breakers in the back aren’t something you can just pull, you have to go out of your way to reach them.”
One particular instance of bathroom graffiti caught Goss’ eye. “It said ‘go back to Canada,’ which is where Tom is from.”
Goss also felt US Fries was unfairly singled out by some merchants. “A lot of people thought we were a chain,” he said. “We weren’t, we’re just a local business, too.”
For his part, Madril denies being open seven days a week. He said he is just trying to look past the incident. “We’re not interested in talking bad about anybody or any business,” he said. “I’m just trying to be here to provide the community good food and service.”
This article appears in Jun 1-7, 2017.
I think the city needs to update it’s code for food trucks with regards to operating distances from established brick and mortar restaurants, what works in the suburbs probably won’t cut it in a new and vibrant downtown. We also need a better system of checking the trucks for licensing and inspecting their commercial kitchen space, which they are legally supposed to have. If the city doesn’t do something now to address the issue, they could end up with a shit show as more and more food trucks try to operate in the downtown area because the people are there.
Does the Fourth Avenue Merchants Association have any say on this? Is this food truck, Geronimo’s Revenge, a member of the merchants association, or are they free loading on the dues and hard work of FAMA? Maybe FAMA should approach the city about designating 4th avenue a special zone, with special rules for where and when a food truck can operate, turning over the operation of these food truck zones to FAMA to dole out operating permission using a lottery system. If they come up with a successful strategy, it could be emulated in other parts of downtown later on. I think it is possible to create space for start ups, protect established brick and mortars, maintain parking access for customers and prevent conflict between businesses. The time to act is now.
Things are working fine. US Fries tried to change the equation and got severly spanked by the customers on 4th. One misfire and the war is over. It won’t happen again.
HumanBean, food trucks are already licensed and inspected by the County Health Department, same as fixed restaurants.
The only one to complain about Mo’s truck is Tom Jones, and a big reason it went so badly for him is because Mo already has more personal goodwill on 4th Ave. than Jones ever will. Jones went about it in a very petty, crybaby way and it backfired. He’s already annoyed many people by parking that ridiculous limo-billboard (sign code?), regularly taking up two or more parking spots in an area where parking is hard enough as it is. Besides all that, his food is greasy shit whereas Mo’s is excellent.
Donkyoti,
I was speaking in general and not necessarily about this truck in particular. I know there are some trucks and hot dog carts around town that are not operating legally even if most are. To be clear, this truck Geronimo’s is absolutely operating according to the law, as far as I can tell.
I think the city and FAMA need to address the parking situation regarding that limo as well. Parking is still an issue near 4th at certain times of day/night and taking up two spaces regularly for what amounts to an illegal sign is wrong and a slap in the face of all the other businesses down there, so I do not think Mr. Jones deserves any special deference or good will. Ironically, the tattoo shop that was there before US Fries did the exact same thing with their giant lifted trucks with their business name painted on them, but not as often.
I do think that with the limited parking and ever increasing number of food trucks that it would be a good idea for the city to develop some new standards and code for the downtown area, a food truck overlay zone, so to speak. If it is done properly, with the input of brick and mortars as well as the input of food trucks, it could benefit everyone, especially us the consumers. It would also be a great way to help prevent future conflicts and provide a path for resolution when a conflict occurs.