Troy food truck combines handy, homemade
Food trucks have been growing in popularity at farmers’ markets and county fairs – and now Troy has one of its own open for business.
Candy Clark, who opened up Whaz Up last Tuesday, said she had been thinking about ways to diversify her movie store, Uptown Video, on Troy’s main street, with the increase of online movie availability making a corner store more difficult to bring revenue in from. For Clark, this meant thinking ahead.
“I always dreamed of having a food truck,” Clark said. “I always loved to cook and was looking around at food trucks.”
When a former hot dog food truck went up for sale – and from a front yard just down the street from her movie store – Clark leapt at the opportunity to park it in front of her business.
“I just thought ‘oh my gosh, I’m going to buy it,’” Clark remembered. “I think I went back the next morning for it. It was turnkey; came with an oven and pretty much ready to go.”
Clark said she was learning about the food truck business as she went along but was comfortable with changing up the menu as ideas came to her. In fact, she said, that was the fun part of the food truck so far.
“We have “taco Tuesdays” and homemade burritos, and there will be a chef’s choice – maybe orange chicken bowls or chef’s salad,” Clark said, brimming with ideas. “I’m trying to do fresh and homemade as much as possible.”
While Whaz Up will have a revolving menu based on availability of produce and chef inspiration, one menu item will be unchanging: hot dogs.
Two hours after the food truck was open for business, a line was already forming at the counter.
First-time customer Ralph Lippert, a building contractor who was working just down the street, said it was great to have a place to grab a bite to eat that was easy, close and reasonably priced.
“It’s handy and convenient,” Lippert said.
Whaz Up will initially be opened up seasonally, with daily specials posted outside the truck, Clark said.
The truck will be open on Tuesday and Thursday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.