As the proprietor of Top Dawg, he serves hot dogs from a vending cart, and goes wherever his customers are on a given day.
Howell is riding the wave of the growing popularity of food trucks and food carts.
His operation is one of several vendors that were brought together by the city of High Point to set up during lunch on weekdays at the Mendenhall Transportation Terminal downtown.
“It’s been good for business. It’s something that probably should have been done a long time ago,” Howell said. “If people in the city are providing opportunities to do things like this, I think more people would step up.”
High Point Theatre Director David Briggs said local food cart and truck vendors are in place five days a week at the terminal during lunchtime hours.
Top Dawg is there Monday, Tuesday and Friday. Trucking with Tipsy’z brings its food truck there each Wednesday, while Zeko’s restaurant will have its food truck there on Thursdays.
Italian ice vendor Sunset Slush also is participating, and Briggs said plans are to bring in Sumela Restaurant with its food truck as well.
“It’s been steady,” he said. “On any given day, we have 1,500 to 3,000 people in downtown High Point, and most of them have 15 to 30 minutes for lunch. People can run out there, grab a hot dog, come right back, or grab a Philly cheesesteak and come right back. It’s pretty convenient.”
Officials have tried to smooth the regulatory process as much as possible to make it easier on food truck and cart vendors.
“As long as these folks have their peddler’s permit (from the city) and Guilford County health inspection, they’re pretty well good,” Briggs said.
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