Food truck gathering place to close
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / JANUARY 2016
The Makers and Tasters site included a bar along the Kewalo Basin Waterfront.
The Makers and Tasters food truck marketplace at Kewalo Basin will close after Friday’s Eat the Street event, the company announced today.
The first Eat the Street of the year will be the last event staged at the 1011 Ala Moana Blvd. site by Street Grindz LLC.
The popularity of Eat the Street, a last-Friday-of-the-month food truck rally, spurred organizers to find a permanent home for food trucks that would rent space at the location. Makers and Tasters opened in August 2015 at the site of the old Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant.
Street Grindz cited bad weather and difficulties acquiring permits to build shelter for customers as factors in the decision, saying these issues made it difficult for the marketplace to be sustainable.
“This change is really a move back to our roots of organizing community events throughout the island,” said Poni Askew, founder of Street Grindz, in a statement.
Askew was not available to elaborate, according to a Street Grindz representative.
The last Kewalo Eat the Street takes place from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday. Street Grindz has more food truck events planned for other locations — next month’s Eat the Street will be held Feb. 24 at Kakaako Waterfront Park, 102 Ohe St.
13 responses to “Food truck gathering place to close”
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Nothing last in Hawaii.
So-so food. Too pricey. Not enough selection. The problem was not the weather.
The vendors are amazing! I heard it was other things that caused that place to close and it, like you mentioned, has nothing to do with weather! Possibly greed! When there were Eat the Streets, food trucks were hugely successful! Hopefully something like that can be started up again bringing glory back to those amazing vendors, their food, and their style of cuisines! Looking forward to visiting food trucks at their new locations where THEY COME FIRST and not being charged an arm and a leg to be at that Makers and Tasters sight.
Totally agree! The setting was actually really nice out in the open air. Problem was the cost.
And here comes another high-rise?
Yes, the devout “D” politicians are planning a 120 story sky-scraper shaped like a “D”onkey after getting inspired by the cow building… http://assets.atlasobscura.com/article_images/3694/image
When there was Eat the Street, Food Trucks and the other vendors were hugely successful! But looks like someone wanted to tap in to making more money by securing a spot charging the trucks a rental fee or something like that, that was priced ridiculously! Oh well, you amazing Food Trucks will continue to do well, glad to hear you’ll be able to keep more of your profits!
kewalo’s was the best…………kids never like take over……..food prep from 2 am too rugged for nowadays prima donnas
Oh no…Guberment REGULATIONS?!
Wait a minute, the food trucks follow regulations? 😉
well..food trucks are supposed to be mobile right?
Bummer, it was a business model fail. Never enough customers for the cost of rent for both owners and vendors. Some open markets flourish and some don’t. I thought Street Grinds was at the right place at the right time, looks like that was not the case.
Food was too pricey. The idea of food trucks has always been about “cheap eats”. When you fail to deliver you fail.