Times Square To Allow Street Vending in the Pedestrian Plaza
The Diner’s Journal blog reported yesterday that the Times Square Alliance is now accepting applications for concessions in the pedestrian plaza in Times Square. The 15 page invitation/application [PDF] that was sent out to various local businesses yesterday is pretty broad about what they will and will not accept (it doesn’t necessarily have to be food), but the important part for us was these words in section III: “Mobile carts or other light structures that can change position will be considered.” How great would it be if some of our favorite food vendors had real spots, in Times Square, free from the cops or other brick and mortar businesses in the area? And, quite frankly, what’s better than street food? The tourists already have plenty of big box, big name, food options in Times Square… hopefully the folks at the Times Square Alliance will use this as an opportunity to give the hard working natives of Midtown something to get super excited about!
Applications are due by the end of May. What would you guys like to see on the streets of Times Square?
Posted by Zach Brooks at 10:45 am, April 29th, 2010 under Street Vendor Issues.
20 Comments | RSS comments feed for this post
20 Comments
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I can see the thought process:
“Hey Tim, how do we make Times Square even more of an overcrowded shitfest than it already is?”
“Howabout street vendors that will serve crappy and overpriced food to stupid tourists?”
“Brilliant!”
10 bux says that Rickshaw Dumpling Truck will be all over this like a pig in shit.
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Chris6, you read my mind! I hope the Rickshaw Dump Truck winds up there, so I’ll never find myself accidentally walking anywhere near it. Other vendors I hope go to Times Square so I’ll never see them are…. hmmmmm… can’t think of any offhand.
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Times Square evolution:
Red light district -> pedestrian mall -> permanent street fair
Knockoff purses, tube socks and zeppoles will no doubt rule the day
Makes me long for the days of Tad’s, 3-card monte and kung-fu triple features
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Definitely a inexpensive Dim Sum and Chinese street-foods oriented cart/truck.
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The smoldering remains of times square.
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Ice cream!
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that photo just confirms my hatred for TS
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did someone say Kogi tacos!? oh yes!!!!
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el bulli could open a food cart and I wouldn’t go to Times Square for it.
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what he said ^
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The ones who get in on this will be dirty water dog vendors and the extremely generic Halal guys, guaranteed.
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I doubt this. Despite the tackiness, TS DOES get a huge traffic volume, which is what any vendor wants. Do you think a vendor like the Schnitzel truck wouldn’t want to be in TS and double their daily sales (or more) while not having to randomly relocate around the city every day? Money talks. Lots of money being spent in TS.
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the more I think about it… the more I would hate to “smell” times square as I walk by…
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prosperity dumplings… please no rickshaw
More realisticly, I suspect that Danny Meyer will be all over this.
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Oh I don’t know . . . what is New York missing that the rest of the country has in bunches? Am I suggesting a Chik-Fil-A cart, preferably one that sells cold refreshing Sonic drinks? Yes I am and Yes we can. Geterdone NY.
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Would you eat sushi from a TS cart?
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I believe you mean “any” cart.
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I say a takoyaki cart.
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has to be something easy to eat on the go. because knowing me, i will be shoving through the crowd with the jaded rage of a 6 train commuter. and trust me, there will be spillage.
corn dogs, kebabs, chocolate covered bananas on a stick, cotton candy, those chinese mini hot cakes…
A BLT cart would be nice. imagine a giant pile of thick cut bacon on the flat top, sizzling away… making the space smell extra inviting. a porcine potpourri. they could call it Swine’s Square. TEE HEE HEE
I’d brave the crowds for some kogi tacos.