Food Trucks Divide Downtown

Tricia Whitney, supervisor at Crafted Tap House and Kitchen, pours a beer during her shift Tuesday at the Coeur d’Alene restaurant. (Coeur d’Alene Press photo: Shawn Gust)

Reactions from restaurateurs to a Coeur d’Alene City Council decision granting space for mobile eateries downtown are as diverse as the cuisine they sell.

Last week, the council passed a motion to allow a small number of food trucks to use the lower parking lot at City Hall on April 12. If the trial is a success, the council could then approve a larger-scale gathering in the lot during Car d’Lane in June.

Tom Robb, who owns the Iron Horse Bar and Grill, told The Press Tuesday that he is a “private enterprise kind of guy” and that people thrive on competition. He recalled a time in the restaurant’s 42-year history when a food cart was on the sidewalk in front of Iron Horse and that it wasn’t a concern.

“I certainly don’t have any problems with the trucks being down there in city park or anywhere else for that matter,” Robb said. “The thing that I’m concerned about is that I want them to be treated the same way we’re treated. If you’re going to run a 100-yard dash, you don’t want the person you’re running against to only have to run 90 yards”/ David Cole , Coeur d’Alene Press. More here .

Question: I consider this experiment by the City Council with food trucks to be a wise one. It’ll bring more dining choices to the downtown area, which will create more traffic — and more return traffic. Thoughts?