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SUCCESS IN THE APRIL 22, 2014 FOOD CART Tribune CAPITAL BY JOAN BROWN Business INSIDE METEOREIGHT FURNITURE LAKE THEATER REOPENS GOING ORGANIC SAVES THE FARM BEAVERTON’S BLUE COMICS 2 BUSINESS TRIBUNE Tuesday, April 22, 2014 468423.041514 pt bt Tuesday, April 22, 2014 BUSINESS TRIBUNE 3 Despite the ever- increasing number of food carts in Portland, success is far from guaranteed. It takes research, attention to detail, and lots of hard work. PHOTO COURTESY OF JOAN BROWN SUCCESS IN THE FOOD CART High quality food. Working smart. Customer love. igh quality food. Working smart. vice for someone starting a new food cart is to Customer love. fi rst carefully study the demographics. Down- Portland is a food cart capital with town Portland is busy and there is a lot of foot Hlocal food cart entrepreneurs offer- traffi c, a lot of people pouring out of offi ce ing a wide variety of quality fare. buildings to fi nd a CAPITAL In addition to high quality food and sincere good meal. customer service, good reasons a food cart John Lee, owner Sunny Souriyavong business has the potential for success in Port- of Bulkogi Fusion, has owned her land is the non-extreme weather and a food said about 80 per- BY culture that embraces diversity. Cart food is cent of his business downtown cart, JOAN BROWN interesting, convenient and, depending on the is done during lunch Sawasdee Thai cart, can be better quality and value than tradi- hours. tional food outlets. It’s a fairly good bet that Lee started Bulk- Food, for 12 years. most every ethnic, fusion or home-style-favor- ogi Fusion four She recalls when ite food is served out of a cart somewhere in years ago. He said Portland. And if that bet is lost, run out quick that so far it’s “not she fi rst started and start a new cart. really good money.” there were some Profi t in the Portland food cart business is He defi nitely sees a days when her pivotal on demographics, effi ciency, food quali- good future so he is ty, uniqueness, and personality. Huong Tran opening a second total gross was has worked her downtown cart, Saigon Food cart in Northeast only $ 5 0 to $ 6 0 . To-Go, for 14 years and with the profi ts from Portland. that one cart she is able to put her three sons “Treat everyone through college. During Saigon Food To-Go’s personally,” Lee advised, adding, “Be a little 14 years, Tran has developed a strong custom- commercialized.” er base. Her food is consistent and her smile is Much of the work Lee does himself, and dur- always gracious. She pointed out that the food ing busy hours he has part-time employees. In cart business has greatly expanded since she the mornings, Lee gets to his cart about 9 a.m. started, especially the last two to three years. and leaves in the evenings about 6 p.m. During When she fi rst started there were seven carts at her location. Now there are 26. Her ad- See CONTINUED / Page 4 4 BUSINESS TRIBUNE Tuesday, April 22, 2014 ■ From page 3 the day, before his employees leave, he is of- ten able to take off for two to three hours. Later in the evenings he works at home for John Lee, owner two to three hours preparing food to take to of Bulkogi the cart. Fusion, prides Tran said that between the work she does himself on at the cart and the work she does at home, serving unique she averages 55 to 60 hours a week. Her food part-time employee is at the cart 20 hours a combinations week. Tran’s Saigon Food To-Go is not open made from on weekends much of the year but she does fresh, healthy work weekends during busy summer ingredients. months. PHOTO COURTESY Sunny Souriyavong has owned her down- OF JOAN BROWN town cart, Sawasdee Thai Food, for 12 years. “In high school I worked fast food, at a Weiner Schnitzel,” she said. “I always wanted to open a hot dog cart. I didn’t know how to cook Thai food until I learned from my room- mate.” Since opening her Thai food cart, she re- calls when she fi rst started there were some days when her total gross was only $50 to $60. Soon after opening, she developed a reputa- tion for her Pad Thai, and a year later she was able to upgrade from a Class III cart to a Class IV cart that allows much more cooking. Since then, Souriyavong and her part-time Having chef’s training is not necessary but employees perform all food preparations at a good knowledge of food and bulk production the cart. She gets there in the mornings at 9 is important. Self-employment and small busi- An average start-up a.m. and leaves in the evenings between 4 ness experience is a plus. Studying demo- p.m. and 5 p.m. Her roommate runs a second graphics and government requirements and investment, with a used cart in Northwest Portland. Souriyavong said law is necessary. Being keen on what people that they make “good money.” like and trends in food and service, and being Class IV cart ready to go Sourivayong places strong emphasis on fl exible are essential. Food costs can be ruin- working smart. For instance, when she cuts ously high, so extremely careful planning, with propane cooker, prep onions she cuts enough for two to three days; menu selections and pricing are crucial. it’s too time consuming to prepare every- “The easiest way to cook for taste is frying tables, refrigerator, water thing, everyday. and grilling,” said Lee, “but the worst for “If you work at a station, know where ev- health.” heater, sink and grey water erything is and keep it in effi cient order,” she Consequently, Lee is fi rm in his integrity of said. “You have to know your things and work serving unique food combinations that give tank, plus licensing, but smart.” excellent taste and that are made of healthy, Another of her tips is to keep the cart as fresh ingredients. not including insurance, clean as possible and to keep cleaning during PHOTO COURTESY OF JOAN BROWN This insistence for unique, exceptional the day. Not only is it more appealing to cus- Huong Tran has worked her Saigon Food To-Go taste and quality demands added hours of rent, cooking and serving tomers, it’s a better place to work in and at cart for 14 years and has been successful preparation and higher food costs, but seeing the end of the day there’s not another two enough to put her three sons through college. Bulkogi Fusion’s customer base and loyalty utensils, and food, is hours of cleaning that has to be done before grow is the long-term payoff. When he fi rst going home. Tran said the health department started he offered a bibimbap burrito that got $15,000 to $20,000. is very strict so it’s important to treat the food a hot response, but competitors copied his cart like a full size restaurant and to carefully ly so it is important to get quotes. Monthly menu using lesser ingredients and lower pric- follow all the rules. space rent around Portland varies from ap- es. Since then he has developed new fusion An average start-up investment, with a proximately $425 to $700. Annual licensing foods that are becoming increasing popular, used Class IV cart ready to go with propane and Health Department fees run about $1,100. and that other cart owners are unable to copy. cooker, prep tables, refrigerator, water heater, Plus, if food is prepared or stored at home or Souriyavong has found the food cart busi- sink and grey water tank, plus licensing, but another location there are additional licens- ness to be a very good experience. She, Tran not including insurance, rent, cooking and ing and inspection fees. More costs to factor and Lee each believe success is attributable to serving utensils, and food, is $15,000 to in are propane and the removal of grey water. high quality, unique food, being personable $20,000. “The health department is very strict on and trying to make everyone happy. “Rent per month goes up every one to two grey water removal,” said Tran. Add mainte- “They’re not customers, they’re friends,” years,” said Tran. nance costs in to those expenses, and there’s said Souriyavong. “Some come two and three Insurance needs and premiums vary wide- another $1,000 to $2,000 annually. times a week.” PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT CIRCULATION PHOTOGRAPHERS CIRCULATION J. Mark Garber Brian Monihan MANAGER Jonathan House 503-546-9810 PortlandTribune Business Kim Stephens Jaime Valdez OFFICES Tribune EDITOR AND ADVERTISING DIRECTOR CONTACT 6605 S.E. Lake Road WEB SITE [email protected] ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Christine Moore CREATIVE Portland, OR 97222 Vance W. Tong SERVICES MANAGER portlandtribune.com 503-226-6397 (NEWS) Cheryl DuVal Tuesday, April 22, 2014 BUSINESS TRIBUNE 5 Bunick offers $20M for West End Building And, Bunick emphasized, rezon- is they maintain the building. I Developer Nick ing would be unnecessary. won’t even charge any rent. If my Says city facilities Bunick has The process to rezone the prop- foundation buys it, it’s a nonprofi t could stay, rent-free erty as general commercial stalled offered the city foundation. To charge them rent last year amid general confusion of Lake Oswego would be creating profi t.” By SAUNDRA SORENSON about Kensington’s plans for the $ 2 0 million for Such an arrangement would be in Pamplin Media Group site, and the planning commission the West End line with what Councilor Karen found Kensington hadn’t demon- Building, which Bowman identifi ed as the communi- I f N ick Bunick has his w ay, the strated a public need for additional the city bought ty’s best interests.

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