If you attended Mayor Warren’s business and arts gathering in February you probably heard State Treasurer Steve Grossman proclaim that Jake’s falafel was “the best [he’s] tasted since visiting Israel.” I’ve never been to Israel but I do know that I’ve needed at least one Jake’s fix a week since he first opened his shop inside Sandwich Works on Beacon St in Newton Centre. Jake’s falafel, baba ganoush, tabouli, kabobs and more are all excellent. His fresh juiced fruits and veggies keep me energized. His inviting and warm personality keep me coming back. Unfortunately, Jake’s Falafel Corner only has 4 weeks left in its current location.
Jake needs and wants a permanent space – any ideas? Or he’d be interested in establishing a food truck, though he mentioned to me that current regulations don’t allow a food truck to be in a business area. (What’s the deal here? Food trucks offer such a fantastic range of foods and are great opportunities for meeting new friends and neighbors.)
This is a high-quality local business that I’d hate to see Newton lose. If you have any suggestions, please pass them along. If you haven’t been to Jake’s yet, stop in and taste what you’ve been missing!
Would a food truck be able to stop in one of the parking lots of the Wells Office Park?
Any info on why he has to move?
Boston has an ordinance that permits opertors to obtain permits for mobile food trucks. I would be willing to look into this if Jake’s or anyone else is interested.
Call me maybe?
Blue Ribbon BBQ has a mobile unit on 2nd Ave in Needham. Imagine, choosing BBQ or falafel, falafel or BBQ, falafel and BBQ, BBQ and falafel. Hungry?
Ted: We should go forward with a permitting system anyway to encourage this! let’s docket it next week!
Village 14 gets action!
Competing against a business with an advantage of no rent will give us yet more empty storefronts. Obviously
@Hoss: A reasonable concern but not always certain. Food trucks can add vitality to a community, creating more foot traffic and bringing more diners, perhaps more diverse diners, to a neighborhood. Plus the dining experience — with a full menu, drinks, wait service, air conditioning or heat — is entirely different from the food truck experience..
In some communities (parts of Boston, if I’m not mistaken) trucks are charged fair market rent. We’ve seen instances where local restaurants — like Blue Ribbon or Lincoln Street Coffee — use a truck to expand their business.
Bottom line: I’m reminded of the expression, all ships rise with the tide. This is a national trend. Other communities (including Brookline) have been experimenting with a variety of policies. It’s worthy of discussion.
Love the food truck idea. Every time I hear that horrible ice cream truck jingle come down our street I wonder why there is not a dinner truck driving around too, or a few, ideally with delicious healthy vegetarian options.
So my preference is for Jake’s to get a permit for a food truck but also be allowed to drive it around, especially to a certain north Newtonville neighborhood.
Greg, The way to level the field if that is to raise the vendor fee from $90 to something around $50,000 . Then the question becomes without existing foot traffic, why would one pay that. Is there any restriction on a private land owner leasing a parking area to a vendor? Aside from leaseholder restrictions on vendor rights for a complex, there may not be any.
Sorry to be away from this for a day or two, but real life intervenes!
@Ted and @Amy – Excellent idea, and thank you
@Hoss – Respectfully disagree. Ted’s point of a rising tide is an appropriate one, and it’s also useful to note that food trucks and full, static location restaurants serve different needs. Importantly, food trucks can also allow an entrepreneur to try out a new idea (and location) in order to test out the business case and then move into a permanent storefront.
@Chris, welcome back from life. I think you gave me credit for Greg’s point. Nevertheless, I do agree with it.
I would want to look into this because there are zoning, operational, public health and other concerns to take into consideration. Boston has piloted the expansion of mobile food trucks to file a niche that will create jobs and commerce, which, as Greg suggests, creates a rising tide that lifts all boats. From the link, you can find the ordinance and other information on permitting mobile food trucks in Boston. These food trucks are allowed to do business in public areas, like the Rose Kennedy Greenway, Copley Sq., the Financial District and Downtown, as well as in various neighborhoods. Boston even has a schedule online with a mobile app so patrons will know where and when to go.
Communities are crucibles for these kinds of ideas and some of Newton’s best programs and policies were lifted from other cities and towns. This might also succeed in Newton.
@Hoss … though it may not seem obvious, it could actually help many of the brick and mortar businesses. (And a kitted out truck isn’t exactly for free, though definitely much less expensive than building space rent). A food truck is a different eating experience than a sit down meal and gives people choices which in turn makes a location that has all these multiple choices a more attractive place to do business.
@Ted and @Amy … I would love to explore this idea further for Newton. It would be a great idea to address the permitting policies about this.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economies_of_agglomeration
Thanks @Ted, and you were correct (sorry @Greg).
@Nathan, thanks as well for bringing the mentioning the term agglomeration. Cluster theory suggests similar behaviors and outcomes
There are several empty storefronts in Newtonville. We have NO take-out style food except pizza. No burritos. No sub shops. The various bakeries make good bread and sandwiches, but it is not their “bread and butter” so to speak. We’ve got lots of restaurants, but very few eat and run places. And no middle eastern food. And no deli type food (just in case anyone was wondering…)
So come to Newtonville. Take over the smallest shop. I’d come in at least twice a week if you stay open past 6.
@Fig: Isn’t there a take-out Chinese restaurant on Austin Street? (As well as another Chinese restaurant and Vietnamese on Washington)
fignewtonville – I lived in Newtonville 30 years ago when Boston Chicken opened in Newtonville and launched a regional take-out empire from their little Austin St store. Maybe that should be part of Newtonville’s sales pitch.
I think it is absolutely GENIUS that this thread is being used as a way to figure out how to help a local business. If this does turn into a truck business, my advice to the owner would be to stake out a great spot over near B.C. As a college student in Boston a gazillion years ago, I have really fond memories of the food truck that was a staple of my college existence, and the kind and wonderful fellow who fed us with food and wisdom. Wonderful to see this thread dedicated to ensuring that this business continues to grow. Well done.
@Ted: Kudos for the pop reference. I legit LOL’d.
@Max: That sounds like the greatest problem to have.
@Emily @Fignewtonville: I’ll mention Newtonville to Jake this week. Maybe he hasn’t explored it yet!
@Jerry: I had NO idea Boston Chicken started in Newtonville!
@Greg & Chris: I’m getting hungry, shouldn’t we move our meeting to Jake’s this week?
Greg:
Lobster Wok is great for take out or delivery (not the best Chinese food, but good and cheap). Their dinner specials (I get the garlic chicken) are less than 10 bucks and come with white rice and 2 apps. That said, chinese take out generally takes 15 minutes to prepare. Not like a sub shop, burrito place, falafel stand, etc.
Distinction without a difference perhaps. I eat at Lobster Wok at least twice a month, so I should have mentioned them.
My point stands. Newtonville would be a great choice. Easy enough parking, school kids looking for quick meals, foot traffic, no direct competition, etc. And several of the shops have been empty for months and are small, so hopefully the rent isn’t that high…
Does anyone know why Jake’s Falafel is leaving the Sandwich Works?
@mgwa – Sorry, no official word! Jake’s small sign just reads that they have been asked to leave the space. I’m sure it could be one or more of a variety of reasons.
I just ate/so this is crazy/I want falafel/call me maybe?
@Ted, why do I feel another YouTube clip of you and your guitar coming on?
@Chris, oh no. But, continuing in the food theme, here is a YouTube parody from an old friend.
This is third-hand but a friend who spoke to Jake said that at this juncture he doesn’t feel like he can afford the rent at an actual storefront. I had the same thought re. Newtonville, but since many of the empty storefronts there ARE because their previous tenants couldn’t keep up with rents, utilities, etc. it does seem unlikely that Jake could.
I think he is looking for something more like his current arrangement with Sandwich Works- a corner out of which he can do a separate business while, I would guess, paying a reduced rent to share the space.
Now I’m curious… I feel a column coming on 😉
@Ted: I truly wish I was more upset that the song is now in my head.
@Wendy: Thanks for a better scoop. It wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have with him while inside the shop. Maybe Max & Leo’s could take him in if they get approved for their pending expansion permits…
My brother says, “If you have two problems, let them solve each other.” So how about Jake setting up in the lobby of a bank? 😉
@Kara, I come from a family of professional musicians so the dinner table when I was growing up was a place to try out song parodies, play “Name that Tune,” and sing songs that fit the topic of conversation. My mother was famous (infamous?) for saying there is a song for everything. I will try to find the NPR story explaining why songs get stuck in your head and post it.
Seriously, I would like to find a way to make food trucks legal in Newton. Canteen trucks are already legal where permitted by property owners, but food trucks are a different species entirely. They have enjoyed great success in Boston and other cities, so I have high hopes that we can create a niche here. More business opportunities does not necessarily mean driving others out of business or creating storefront vacancies. There are always more banks and nail salons which will rent space in our village centers. 😉
BTW, the public hearing on Max & Leo’s special permit is scheduled for August 14. Come on down to City Hall at 7PM if you are interested.
Ted:
What is the Max and Leo’s special permit? How are they expanding?
Max & Leo’s is tripling in size and needs a parking and design waiver (see page 158).
Rox Diner is also seeking a parking waiver to go from 38 to 61 seats.
@Ted – Rox is also on Aug 14?
Yes. Aren’t you following the Land Use Committee on Twitter? If not, you should be.
Check out my column on Friday in Newton Patch for an update on this story 🙂