Independent Operators
Trial by food truck in the Lowcountry
South Carolina murder trial is putting a spotlight on food trucks.
February 6, 2023 by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com
One of the biggest issues, if not the top issue, when it comes to food truck operation is location.
Location, location, location — as a tenured real estate broker would say — is key to home value and it's key to a food truck's success. After all, if a food truck isn't where people are, and within easy reach of an embracing fan base, it has little to no chance of survival.
But if that location is "too close" to competitors — specifically brick-and-mortar restaurants on a town's main street — location fast becomes a hotbed of debate over what enterprise should, or has, staking rights to the local consumers seeking and wanting a meal or snack or treat.
That debate is simmering in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, in the city of Walterboro, which just about 6,000 residents call home.
For the past two weeks, and likely through early March, it's become home to hundreds of broadcasters, journalists, podcasters, radio personalities, cable news talking heads as well as communications technicians, from photographers to videographers to satellite operators. Then there are the curious and legal spectators who just love a juicy trial.
They are all in Walterboro, known as the "front porch" of the Lowcountry, for the same reason: The murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, a high profile and influential local, and now disbarred, attorney who is accused of gunning down his son Paul and wife Maggie on June 7, 2021.
As time neared for the trial, county leaders began working on plans for parking as well as food options and overall preparation for the crowds that began streaming in once the trial process began on Jan. 23 with jury selection. A media parking lot was created, according to a 7News WSPA.com report, with the city adapting its Wildlife Center as a work hub for the media onslaught.
Scott Grooms, Walterboro's director of tourism and downtown development, issued a public invite on Facebook to food trucks, whether they were based in Walterboro or nearby, as a way to help feed the crowds each day. The city enacted an application process for food truck operators.
Food truck operators responded — and space was created close to the courthouse for food trucks. One participating food truck, which launched before the trial was announced in Walterboro, is operated by a Walterboro restaurant, Carmine's Italian Restaurant, which has been in business for over a dozen years.
Restaurant and food truck owners Giuseppe and Nicole Vitale saw the potential business opportunity as soon as the city was selected as the trial location.
"For a small town like Walterboro, this is huge," Giuseppe Vitale told WSPA, comparing the media focus as potentially big as the O.J. Simpson trial in Los Angeles in October 1995.
Another participating food truck is traveling an hour to set up and serve, according to a Reddit post. The Live Oak Smokehouse, which typically does business in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, was one of the first food trucks to sign up.
"The first couple days it was just jury selection, and I think all of the food trucks were just trying to figure out what it was going to be like," owner Lori Barger said, according to the post. "Now, we've got a pretty good rhythm going, and people are starting to pick their favorite trucks."
In fact the food truck strategy fast became a national story and was reported everywhere from the local news to the New York Times.
Yet Grooms' invite, which drew 234 comments on the post, wasn't welcomed or endorsed by everyone once it was issued on the social media channel. One respondent to the call for food trucks stated, "this is such a terrible look for our city...bad taste doesn't begin to define this."
Some posted about how food trucks may be hurting the city's brick-and-mortar restaurant business.
Yet, at least according to some local foodservice workers, that isn't proving true. Brick-and-mortar establishments are seeing an uptick in business, according to Tiffany Edenfield, a waitress at Bear Café and Lounge on Main, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner beside the courthouse.
"This town ain't used to this, they never had a big trial like this before," she told Yahoo News.
Another food truck owner, Gerald Pringle, who is also driving an hour to serve his fare, noted the food trucks are serving a big void as there aren't many restaurants in the area of the courthouse.
"The locals now come to the food trucks in part because there are very few restaurants here in Walterboro, so I think the tourism is kind of looking like, 'maybe this is something we can kind of continue on,'" Pringle told Yahoo News.
Many responding to Grooms' Facebook post showed big support for food trucks.
"I don't understand the negative comments about food trucks during the trial. I feel the city is being very proactive in planning ahead for something that is not their fault. Yes, there will be a large influx of national as well as local news reporters and yes they will be hungry. The food trucks will not be the circus, the clowns will be in the courtroom. Bravo to the city for their efforts to handle this unfortunate issue," wrote Diane Downey.
Robby Craven posted how food trucks are often seen in larger cities around courthouse locations. He also echoed some posts that suggested the city embrace food truck activity on a permanent basis going forward, establishing food truck "nights" and similar events.
"I'd much rather those people [media, trial watchers] enjoy food from some of our local food trucks. From people who cook and actually put effort in to it, instead of settling for fast food," he wrote.
More than a few responding to Grooms' post expressed support for establishing a weekly food truck event in the city.
"I also agree with the people who are suggesting that we have a weekly food truck event. Why are you only offering this during this trial but not for the citizens of Walterboro?" wrote Gale Doggette.
Indeed, why not support food truck events? Especially since it's benefiting the local community.
As Edenfield shared, the food trucks are seeing action even once the trial concludes each day.
"We get that five to seven rush," she said.
And local food trucks are also booking future business.
"We've actually gotten people asking us about catering different events in the future just for coming here and visiting us at our food truck this week," co-owner Ashley Lambe told Live5 WCSC.
For his part, Grooms said the influx of visitors, whether media or court spectators, is a boon for the local community and economy.
"I want to put Walterboro in the limelight, not for being the center of the trial but for being a southern town that people would want to come by," Grooms told Live5. "We're right on the interstate — people can come in here, they can see our beautiful homes, see our beautiful courthouse and really enjoy Walterboro for what it is."
About Judy Mottl
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