'They need to stay': Milwaukee food truck owners react to possible relocation

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- With recent acts of violence in downtown Milwaukee, city officials have said they're trying to get to the root of the issue.

Aside from enforcing a curfew, Mayor Cavalier Johnson mentioned regulation of a city staple, especially on Water Street -- food trucks.

In a press conference Tuesday, Mayor Johnson said, "We will reconfigure the location of food trucks where folks have been congregating and participating in some of this poor activity."

This comment has drawn attention from several local food truck owners, some of which told CBS 58 they don't understand why these businesses are getting caught up in the both city and statewide issue of gun violence.

Samuel Yin, owner of Marco Pollo Global Cluck Truck in Milwaukee, tells CBS 58 he doesn't think relocating food trucks is a good idea, especially downtown. He said most of the trucks on Water Street have been in the same spot for several years, serving many of the same customers. He believes moving will hurt their revenue, forcing them to rebuild their customer base.

"We heard that there are not a lot, but a number of shootings happening in that area, but nothing related to the food truck business. They just park by the street, and people are not even gathering surrounding the food truck either. So they are providing a service, good food. I think they need to stay," Yin said.

Alexa Alfaro with the Meat on the Street food truck says while her truck doesn't usually park in that area at night, she doesn't believe the trucks that are there are causing any problems.

"I understand what they're saying about the crowds, however I don't think the people standing in line waiting for food are what's causing the chaos and the reason for non-safety," Alfaro said.

Yin says the trucks on Water Street make most of their money after midnight. He believes the city should find options that don't affect those businesses.

The mayor has yet to release more details about his plans or reasoning to reconfigure food trucks in the downtown Milwaukee area.