Currently viewing the tag: "food trucks"

Blair Garrett

There’s no doubt that the way businesses have had to operate has changed forever.

More people than ever before are finding new ways to make their careers compatible with the world around us. The ability for so many different industries to work remotely has revolutionized the way businesses operate, and it may only be just the beginning.

Conversely, mobile businesses have found a niche in a wide variety of markets, bringing their products and services directly to the customers instead of having a traditional brick-and-mortar store.

Over the past few years, outdoor events like Colorfest, music festivals, and craft shows have seen growing numbers of food trucks catering to hungry event-goers with on-site food prepared almost hibachi-style right in front of your eyes.

The food market is a popular roving business, but it’s far from the only one meeting customers out in the wild.

Meet.Plant.Love is a brand new business, blazing the trails of mobile plant sales, operating at markets and events held locally in Maryland. “We kind of operate like a food truck, but we’re selling house plants,” said Lee Hufnagel, owner of Meet.Plant.Love.

Lee and Jackie Hufnagel kicked off their business in May, and in just a few short months, they’ve been able to spread plant love all over Frederick County.

“We discussed opening up a storefront, but that’s obviously a very big step,” Lee said. “We wanted to build around the whole experience of houseplants and taking care of them with the community, which is kind of how we got our name. That’s the ‘Meet’ portion of it, and that’s where the mobile part comes in.”

The two got their start in a unique way, too. At the start of a turbulent 2020, there was a lot of uncertainty about what the next few months might look like. With clear information at a minimum and panic at an all-time high, many people needed to latch on to things that brought them comfort.

For Jackie, that thing was houseplants. “Every time I would try to conquer feelings of anxiety, I would buy a houseplant,” Jackie said.

Little did they know, that her anxiety-relief tool would turn into their own mobile business, where they get to go out and meet tons of people interested in plants and share a bit of their expertise.

“We’re selling houseplants, cactus, succulents, hanging baskets, and things like that,” Jackie said. “During a few shows this summer, we offered outdoor plants; we’ve had mums and herbs. We like to have a little bit of something for everybody.”

Meet.Plant.Love often posts where they’ll be on their Instagram and Facebook accounts, and you may just catch them at a brewery, winery, or an event near you.

There’s nothing more relaxing than catching up with a few friends at your favorite pub over an ice-cold drink. But your favorite cocktail may be heading your way in the near future.

Mobile bars are a huge hit in beach towns like Ocean City, Maryland, and Wildwood, New Jersey.

A dozen partygoers and a liquor-loaded liaison hop onto a rectangular bar mounted on wheels, powered by the pedaling guests partaking in the festivities. It’s a great way to cruise a boardwalk in a fun environment while sharing a drink with your friends, but it’s far from the only mobile bar out there.

Similar to how food trucks are showing up and delivering meals on wheels, mobile cocktail bars are handcrafting your favorite Moscow mules, mojitos, and Long Island iced teas.

Presley’s Mobile Cocktail Bar in Philadelphia has renovated an old trailer and modernized the bartender-to-customer experience with the changing times. It’s a smooth transition to bring and drop off your bar to a location, craft a menu to fit the needs of the event, and then pack it up for your next adventure. Mobility allows companies like Presley’s to open up the base of clients to fit a huge market.  

Mobile bars are revolutionizing the way catering companies deal with weddings and work outings, and that is a trend that is not going away any time soon. So, be on the lookout for more to pop up in the near future.

Taking your dog to the groomer can be a tremendous chore to fit around your work schedule. If your pooch doesn’t always see eye-to-eye with other dogs, you may need to wait hours for your pet to be cleaned up and ready to go.

Mobile groomers and veterinary services are a rapidly growing business, offering options out there to contour to even the busiest of schedules.

Pets are often uncomfortable in the car or don’t handle being away from home or their owners, so mobile pet care can alleviate some of the stress for your beloved furry friends.

If the past two years have taught us anything, it’s that people have to be adaptable and open to change. Many of the storefront businesses have taken the lockdown situation and unlocked a creative way to make their companies thrive, and this might be just the beginning.

Meet.Plant.Love’s mobile market has tons of houseplants sure to add color and beauty to any room in the house.

Photo by Blair Garrett

by Buck Reed

The Sauced Savage:

Food On The Go

Everyone has heard the term “The New Normal,” which is coined by scientists and doctors, as well as our political leaders. It is obvious that anyone who is not thinking about how their business will be operating or changing in the extremely near future, will not be in business in the very near future.

One big change in the food service industry is the expansion of food trucks, and Frederick County is keeping up. Of the 3 million food trucks currently operating in the United States, Frederick County has about 74. Given that most are under a year old, it is no surprise that The Sauced Savage is just over a year old.

Food trucks are notorious for having limited menus, which means they can concentrate on doing a few items very well. It means that an entrepreneur can put their passion into their work one meal at a time.

Jason Savage, the owner and operator of The Sauced Savage, had two things going for him. First, before he took on the truck, he worked for the county as a foreman for the Highway Operations. And, second, since his wife’s family has been operating a barbeque food truck for decades, you might say he married into the industry.

Mr. Savage bought his trailer about five years ago, and after modifying it, started working part-time in West Virginia. This put him in a very good position to move in on Frederick County about a year ago when the local government modified the rules on the food truck business. Making the jump to full-time meant leaving a steady paycheck, and although he had a few concerns, he pressed on.

Given that he opened just before the restrictions from the pandemic were in place, Savage has been able to roll with the waves. He even had it worked into his plan to shut down for one or two months if business slowed down, but that did not happen.

Today, he moves his trailer as needed to various spots around the county and works sporting events, festivals, and fundraisers, as well as traditional catering. With the ability to serve up to 4,000 meals a day, they can help with any function anyone might be planning.

Jason has actually been busy enough that he was able to take on some extra help; keeping it in the family, he hired his daughter, Riley Savage. With the warmer weather on the way, they plan on expanding their barbeque menu with pit beef and turkey. I, personally, like what they do with beef brisket with coleslaw, beans, and both traditional and spicy sauces.

For more information, you can follow The Sauced Savage on Facebook or visit their website at www.thesaucedsavage.com.

To book an event, contact The Sauced Savage at 301-418-2642.