Letter to the editor: Hot dog cart seems to be losing proposition

By: By REX A. WOOD | Marion
Published: September 24, 2009

Hot dog carts? You've got to be kidding me.
How many of you have ever seen a hot dog vendor's cart in downtown Marion except for festivals? Seriously, should we impose excessive fees on food vendors who only show up here two or three times a year ?
If operating a hot dog cart in downtown Marion has become unfair business competition, then we are in big trouble.
Don't misunderstand me, I believe everyone has a right to compete for business, but let's create an understandable scenario.
In the first place, hot dog or food vending carts cost money, sometimes in the $2,000 to $4,000 price range for a nice one.
Secondly, I have to buy the hot dogs, buns, condiments and drinks. Now, let's imagine that I haven't done any research on where would be a great place to make money selling hot dogs, so I decide on downtown Marion, N.C.
First of all, if I have to depend on selling hot dogs in Marion to feed my wife, two children, and pay my bills, I will starve and be absolutely destitute.
There is barely enough foot traffic in downtown Marion to support the businesses we already have.
So I can understand why the existing businesses have to covet each and every customer. So let's continue on. Suppose that on Mondays when most of the city's lawyers and alleged law breakers are milling around the courthouse, and I set up my hot dog cart on the corner, and sure enough people are hungry, and I sell 25 hot dogs at the steep price of $2 and that includes a drink. I made a whopping $50 that day.
I'm excited, so I go out again Tuesday, and sell another 10, wow, another $20. Forget the rest of the week, because there is no foot traffic except for local businesses and existing eating establishments.
I do the math. Dogs, buns, drinks cost me $26 so my profit is $44, and I average $200 a month. My nice shiny vending cart payment is $100 a month. So, $1,200 I made this year.
Oh wait! I owe the city all my profit. Seriously, folks, have we stooped this far down? Stayed tuned for my interview with the "hot dog" man.
Editor's note: Want to respond to this letter? Send your own letter to the editor to news@mcdowellnews.com or go here: http://www2.mcdowellnews.com/p/content/mmn-submit-letter/

Letter to the editor: Hot dog cart seems to be losing proposition

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