Street Vendors in your City

[chris08876]

Does anybody think that street vendors add a unique charm to cities?

Are there street vendors or areas within your city or even metro area where street vendors tend to congregate. Makeshift markets, things of that nature? Does your city allow street vendors to flourish via permits or licenses? Are there any illegal vending sites in your city or certain trends per say?

I'm of the idea that I think they add a ton of charm to a city and the street dynamics. Even in light of negative news via the immigration crisis, I still think they are a necessary thing of the urban experience.

I suppose I'll speak of the big city near me, NYC. Tons of street vendors everywhere. Some areas where they can be found, and areas which also have seen an increase as of the last year in terms of volume of street vendors and ones that have had them for years and years.

1) Flushing Queens - Roosevelt Ave and Main Street along with Northern Blvd
2) Jamacia Queens (Jamacia Ave and Sutphin Blvd, within proximity to LIRR.
3) Canal Street
4) The Hub in the Bronx
5) 5th Ave (they are out there big time)
6) 8th Ave
7) Flatbush Ave
8) Roosevelt Ave near Corona and Jackson Heights

Just some to name a few.


I'd be curious to hear about other U.S. cities aside from NY when it comes to such vendors. Experiences, history, issues, benefits, trends and so on?

[LA21st]

Yes, theres a few in LA.

Hollywood Blvd (at Highland mostly)
Vermont Ave in East Hollywood
Vermont Ave in Westlake/Pico Union
Santa Monica Pier area
Venice of course
Chinatown (I believe?)
El Pueblo
MacArthur Park
Santee Alley
(I'm sure a bunch more)

Then theres those flea markets on the weekends
Abbott Kinney
Melrose Trading Post
Rose Bowl Market
(I'm sure a bunch more)

And if you count the gazillion farmers markets in LA County for weekend vendors too lol

Then you have all the taco vendors. I wouldnt be suprised if LA is firmly behind NYC for this these days.

[iheartthed]

A ton of street vendors have popped up around Wyckoff Avenue in Bushwick, Brooklyn, near the DeKalb stop on the L. I think they mostly show up in the evening and it feels both charming and chaotic.

[bilbao58]

Apparently there is some controversy about street vendors in a part of Houston known as "Little Guatemala." Seems apartment renters and landlords are not happy with the thriving makeshift market popping up each night in the area. The most vocal landlord is a woman originally from India, by the way.

Some council members want to ban it. The mayor, on the other hand, has stated:

“So many of them are desperate. This is their only income. So, we’ve got to be considerate” and “It’s really kind of exciting, but for the hardship it places on traffic and property owners. But the native food and clothing is something I want to show my grandkids, but we need to do it right.”

[ColDayMan]

Tons of these in old 60's immigrant-owned strip mall parking lots in outer-ring Columbus. Aside from food vendors, mostly non-existent in the old city due to, ya know, gentrification.

[pdxtex]

Portland's random street vendors are almost all Mexican and pretty much just sell food of some variety. Roadside juice or tamales? Sure why not. My neighborhood has a roving tamale guy and his wife trails him in a car as he yells six for five tahmahlayyyyy. He takes cards too.

[bilbao58]

^ Some of the best tamales I've ever had I bought from some lady in the parking lot of a Home Depot.

[mrnyc]

Originally Posted by chris08876

Does anybody think that street vendors add a unique charm to cities?

Are there street vendors or areas within your city or even metro area where street vendors tend to congregate. Makeshift markets, things of that nature? Does your city allow street vendors to flourish via permits or licenses? Are there any illegal vending sites in your city or certain trends per say?

I'm of the idea that I think they add a ton of charm to a city and the street dynamics. Even in light of negative news via the immigration crisis, I still think they are a necessary thing of the urban experience.

I suppose I'll speak of the big city near me, NYC. Tons of street vendors everywhere. Some areas where they can be found, and areas which also have seen an increase as of the last year in terms of volume of street vendors and ones that have had them for years and years.

1) Flushing Queens - Roosevelt Ave and Main Street along with Northern Blvd
2) Jamacia Queens (Jamacia Ave and Sutphin Blvd, within proximity to LIRR.
3) Canal Street
4) The Hub in the Bronx
5) 5th Ave (they are out there big time)
6) 8th Ave
7) Flatbush Ave
8) Roosevelt Ave near Corona and Jackson Heights

Just some to name a few.


I'd be curious to hear about other U.S. cities aside from NY when it comes to such vendors. Experiences, history, issues, benefits, trends and so on?

you can’t find a busy strip in the whole city without mango mango ladies around.