Every morning at 5:30 Edward Quatkemeyer and his staff park their A-Town Pies and Fries buggy on East Union Street and feed the parking meter for the day ahead.
Opened on March 11, A-Town Pies and Fries is one of the many vendors that pays to do business on the north edge of College Green.
The city of Athens issues permits for 14 vending spots on East Union Street. Four are called A-side spots, which are located on the north side of the street, and 10 are B-side spots, which are located on the south side.
A-Town Pies and Fries pays only $75 a year for a B-spot permit, whereas the Burrito Buggy pays $1,000 a year for an A-side permit.
However, Quatkemeyer said the cost is almost the same as A-side spots because B-side vendors have to pay the parking meter fee for the spot they occupy.
After moving to Athens six years ago to sell food and spending two years on the waiting list, Quatkemeyer was finally given a B-spot this year.
Theresa Gerren, administrative assistant for the Athens Code Enforcement Office, said the waiting list for A-side spots is especially long and that businesses must operate in their spot a minimum of 20 days a year to keep it.
Aside from the 14 spots licensed by the city, prospective street vendors can also purchase a peddlers license for $25 a month. This allows them to operate on private property as long as the property owners give permission.
Tom Richardson operates a hot dog stand on the corner of State Street and Court Street and owns a peddlers license. He used to own a B-side spot, but chose not to renew it because his stand runs on electricity, which the city doesn't provide. As a result, most of the vendors on Union Street use gasoline, he said.
Richardson said that he's seen other towns, particularly Gallipolis, that sell electricity with their vending spots. He said he would also like to see more available spots.
Richardson said he is also looking into vending at the Athens Farmers Market, which is guaranteed city space through an ordinance.
There is a market in every college town for vending
and the one here should be improved Richardson said.
A-Town Pies and Fries is one of the vendors on Union Street that uses gasoline. However, Quatkemeyer said he plans to switch to a battery in May and add solar panels to the buggy this summer.
1
News
Dan Quarfoot
27630a.jpg
Joe Argiro, a senior studying sociology, works in the A-Town Pies and Fries location on Union Street yesterday. Argiro has worked at the buggy since its opening three weeks ago. (Alicia Fidler|Picture Editor)
