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Mobile kitchen owners say hours crimp profits

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By KATHY STEELE

ksteele@tampatrib.com

Published: July 8, 2009

EAST TAMPA - Sheilah and James Youngblood this year won the city's approval to keep selling chicken wings, fish, shrimp and sausage from their mobile diner. But the couple says the permitted operating hours - from dawn to dusk - hamstring their business and profits.

Operating for more than 20 years under the corporate name Picture Man Catering, the Youngbloods routinely roll their yellow mobile kitchen onto a vacant lot at 2109 E. Genesee St. Last year, however, they found themselves at odds with a city rule stating certain types of vendors could not operate on undeveloped lots.

City officials threw out that rule this year, but not the one governing operating hours.

"Right now I can't stay open long enough," said James Youngblood, speaking to city council members last week at an appeal hearing. "Dusk to dawn just won't get it. I can't survive doing that."

The Youngbloods say many of their customers, including city bus drivers and nursing home staffers, work late-night or early-morning shifts.

At last week's Tampa City Council meeting, city leaders considered implementing a 3:30 a.m. closing time for the vendors. Ultimately they decided upon a 1 a.m. closing time. A required second vote to pass the measure is scheduled for July 16.

Council member Linda Saul-Sena voted against the 3:30 a.m. closing time but was among those who agreed to grant the Youngbloods a waiver allowing them to operate from dawn until 1 a.m.

But she had reservations.

"I consider the difference between dusk and 1 a.m. pretty significant," she said. "We need to look at what the ramifications are going to be for the future. I would anticipate that the next five vendors that come before us are going to be similarly asking for that kind of waiver."

Sheilah Youngblood said there might be others who would like extended hours, but the city's fee to file for a waiver is an obstacle. "These are hard times," she said. "People are trying to survive."

The dawn to dusk rule works all right for some.

Carl "Ice Cream" Waltower is content to work within those hours selling turkey legs, chicken and hot dogs from his mobile grill outside Fast Lane Clothing on 22nd Street at Shadowlawn Avenue.

"It's too dangerous," said Waltower of later hours. "I wish the Youngbloods good luck. I'm not going to stay here until 8 o' clock."

There is some nearby lighting, Waltower said, but nothing like the bright lights of a convenience store or gas station. His biggest complaint is weekend competition from illegal vendors.

"It's just not right for anyone to set up on weekends illegally and we're legal," Waltower said. He estimates he spends nearly $1,000 annually on city, county and state licenses.

Reporter Kathy Steele can be reached at (813) 259-7652.

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