Food vendor turf war continues on the airwaves
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On the corner of 6th Street and San Jacinto Boulevard, the Best Wurst bratwurst cart has maintained its popularity for almost 20 years. Now, a nearby business wants to see that change.
Parkside, a restaurant that sits just across the sidewalk, wants Best Wurst to find another corner, so Parkside can expand its business. The Parkside owner has asked the city not to renew the food vendor's permit, claiming it violates city regulations.
Wednesday, the two sides took their arguments to the airwaves on community radio station KOOP 91.7, both with a laundry list of reasons why they deserve the sidewalk space.
"I don't think completely wiping one business off the map for the sake of modest expansion of the other makes any kind of sense. We should be able to work together," Best Wurst owner Jon Notarthomas said.
The Parkside owner complained that Notarthomas hasn't always taken that approach to the situation.
"He talks about compromise now, but for three years he wasn't willing to compromise or be a good neighbor, which doesn't make him a bad person, it just means he wasn't willing to compromise with us," Parkside owner Shawn Cirkiel said.
The city said it will make a decision about Best Wurst's permit in the next couple of weeks, but, for now, the vendor’s permit is on a week-to-week standing.