The Gothic Times

Issue date: 2/17/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Vanessa Cubillo After a week-long absence, the Audubon Avenue food truck serves dedicated customers on February 12.

Victor Perez was looking to get something to eat from the food trucks before his three-hour class only to find that the food trucks were not there.

"I was shocked and kind of angry because not only was this a food truck I've been familiar with for four years, but it's the only place I can get food for a decent price," said Perez, 22, an English theater major from Jersey City.

On February 5, 2009, Jersey City Police asked the food trucks-parked near New Jersey City University on Kennedy Boulevard and Audubon Avenue-to leave following a complaint.

"A day that will not be forgotten," said Billy Papathanasis, the owner of the food truck on Audubon Avenue.

Speculation arose as to why, after 25 years, police asked them to leave. Rumors swirled that NJCU's food service provider, Culinart, had made the complaint; others accused Submarino's, a deli located on West Side Avenue, of making the claim.

In a letter sent to the "Gothic Times" on February 10, a faculty member voiced such speculation: One issue "is that students and staff have lost a lower cost option for food purchases which is important given looming budget cuts and higher tuition." Also, "Who would be interested in contacting the police to get rid of the trucks?"

"[People] said the cafeteria [Culinart] and the deli [Submarino's] made the complaint, but that wasn't true" said Gus Papathanasis, the owner of the Kennedy Boulevard food truck.

Billy and Gus Papathanasis are brothers who own the two food trucks that are situated around campus. Before them, their mother and father owned the food trucks near campus for 20 years.

Earlier this school year, a new food truck started coming by the Visual Arts Building and the police wanted them to leave. Eventually, this new truck was towed away, an event which prompted them to make a complaint about the two other food trucks on campus.

The NJCU community was not happy and voiced its complaints to the Jersey City Council.

"The problem was complaints were made that a provision of the law that requires peddler trucks to move every twenty minutes was not being enforced," said Jack Egan from the Business Administration Department. "The trucks have been here for all these years and that provision of the law was never enforced."

With the help of Councilman Michael Sottolano and Mayor Jerramiah Healy, an agreement was reached so that the food trucks would not have to follow this law since they never did before. The popular food trucks were able to come back on February 12, which has made the campus community happy.

"Where have you been?" asked truck diner Corinna Apodaca, 19, an early childhood education major from North Bergen. "I had to eat nasty food!"

The Papathanasis brothers deeply appreciated what the community has done for them.

"Every day I'm going to see the faculty and students and thank them personally," said Gus.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools