18 June 20th-June 26th, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | turn lane on Fourth Street as part of their event plan. “For them to give us two weeks, which absolutely is not enough notice for anything, to not be there, that was detri- mental to so many of the businesses because we were relying on that income,” Abdouni says. Alison Sipes, events manager for Roosevelt Row CDC, says she witnessed overcrowding and pedestrians spilling onto the street during the April event, which gave her pause. She adds she also was concerned there was not enough room in the area for a fire lane, something required by the city. “It truly was not safe. I saw it with my own eyes, I spoke with public safety about it,” Sipes says. Abdouni says those concerns were not raised to her by the CDC or the city until she was notified of the location shuffle by the Roosevelt Row CDC board. Although the food court operated in the same location for more than two years, there is no guarantee that vendors will receive the same location placement each month, according to Sipes and Alonzo. Sipes, who joined the CDC in March, says she is concentrating all of the event’s food trucks in sections of Second and Sixth streets. “The strategy is to keep all the food trucks together because they take up more space,” she says. Alonzo says the CDC offered 10 spots to Food Truck Next on Second Street in order to accommodate the spaces lost over the decision not to close Fourth Street. “We had no part in whatever agreement existed with that lot. That wasn’t through us,” Alonzo says. Abdouni ultimately declined the offer from the CDC, concerned that it’s not a permanent solution that supports the entire food truck court and disagreeing with the location placement. “Historically, moving people to Second Street is an exit strategy,” Abdouni says. In the meantime, in efforts to offset some of the May First Friday losses, Abdouni invited trucks that did not participate in the May event to Goodyear’s Food Truck Friday, another food truck roundup she hosts. New market coming to Fourth Street After a month of Fourth Street sitting vacant due to the food court’s absence, Sipes says it exposed the need to have something happening on that corner to entice people to continue walking eastward. The CDC contacted Local First Arizona, and Sipes says they plan to collaborate to activate the corner with “lower intensity” artisan and packaged food vendors. “It’s not a food truck court,” Sipes says. “It’s more of crafts, goods, things like that.” The timing of losing access to both spots, plus the new market coming to the space, raised suspicions for Abdouni. “I felt like this is really, really targeted,” she says. Abdouni and Food Truck Next, via social media, have accused Local First founder Kimber Lanning of having a “long- standing grudge” against the food trucks that culminated in their ouster. Local First’s headquarters abut both areas where the food court was operating. Lanning concedes she had initial issues with the process for closing the street in that area, and that there have been prob- lems with trash that led her to enlist addi- tional power-washing around the building. But Lanning says accusations that she is behind the food court’s removal are “simply not true” and points to Local First’s history of incubating small businesses, including those focused on food. “I would let our record stand for itself,” she says. Roosevelt Row CDC likewise denies there were any efforts to remove the food trucks from the event. “There’s no exclusion here,” Sipes says. She adds that a handful Food Truck Next vendors including Naughty Vegan and Spicy Sassy Dulces have reached out and opted to participate in the upcoming First Friday, going through the CDC’s first come, first served vendor signup. Abdouni says her experience over the past few months has made her feel unwelcome. “We pay our taxes to the city, we pay to be there, we’re not random people showing up on the streets. We’re legiti- mate businesses,” she says. “We respect the rules, we respect the policy, we respect the city we’re at.” But, she’s not giving up and is working on a temporary downtown pop-up. Abdouni is still confirming details but is seeking a permit to operate on Moreland Street. After the summer, she hopes to secure a lease on a new Phoenix location that will allow the gathering to continue with a sense of security, “somewhere that we’re able to stay there,” she says. Mehl says it’s a loss for First Friday. “(Abdouni) really helped bring traffic down there. She really helped make it fun,” he says. Local maker “Raver Jeni Supplies” sold kandi on the sidewalk during April’s First Friday. The monthly event features about 300 vendors. (Photo by Jennifer Goldberg) Food Fight from p 17 Questions? Feedback? Email me at [email protected] • Follow me on RATING (out of 5 McFly’s) READY, SET, ROLL! 2024 ACURA INTEGRA TYPE S 2024 ACURA INTEGRA TYPE S G od bless Acura od bless Acura and the Type S and the Type S for coming with for coming with a 6-speed manual a 6-speed manual transmission standard. I bet transmission standard. I bet that immediately takes over that immediately takes over 50% of American consumers 50% of American consumers out of contention for the out of contention for the vehicle but I love Acura for vehicle but I love Acura for knowing their target market. knowing their target market. The performanced, speed The performanced, speed loving, daily driver. You don’t loving, daily driver. 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