Large flat open spaces. Plenty of parking. Nearby highway access. Proximity to some of Central New York’s most populous neighborhoods.
That sounds like a late 20th century pitch for the location of a suburban shopping mall.
In the 21st century, with many malls struggling or closed, they seem like the ideal location for a gathering of food trucks. In fact, that idea is working out well in Central New York this summer.
The Syracuse Food Truck Association has been running a popular weekly Wednesday night “takeover” of space at the Great Northern Mall in Clay since May 5.
Its been drawing up to a dozen trucks and around 2,000 to 4,000 diners each Wednesday, depending on weather and other factors, food truck association president Nick Sanford said.
Now the trucks are expanding the idea with a Tuesday night takeover of space at the former ShoppingTown mall in DeWitt. That begins Aug. 3.
Both events run 4 to 8 p.m. each week and include live music. The ShoppingTown event, which will set up in the rear of the property at the former JC Penney entrance, runs through Tuesday, Oct. 26. The Great Northern gathering, held in front of the former Dick’s Sporting Goods entrance, runs through Wednesday, Oct. 27.
Each takeover features around eight to 12 trucks, depending on the schedule for the operators and competing events, said Sanford, who owns the Toss & Fire pizza business, which has both “brick and motor” locations and several food trucks.
The Syracuse Food Truck Association has about 40 members, so the line-up each week can vary depending on which trucks sign up for a specific night, Sanford said. A full list of association members can be found on the SFTA web site.
“We have savory and we have sweet,” he said. “We have barbecue and pizza and tacos and ice cream and gourmet lobster. We have just about everything you can imagine in a truck.”
The Syracuse Food Truck Association is holding a "takeover" of space at Great Northern Mall in Clay through Oct. 27. (Charles Wainwright photo)
The best way to find out which trucks are showing up to each location in a given week is to check Find Food Trucks in Syracuse NY | Street Food Finder or follow the Syracuse Food Truck Association’s Facebook page.
You can also follow your favorite truck’s Facebook page to find out where it roll from day to day.
Here’s the lineup for the next Great Northern takeover (July 28):
Toss & Fire Pizza, Italian
Byblos Street Grill Middle Eastern
Skippy’s Ice Cream American
Nikki’s Cupcake Creations American, Coffee, Desserts
The Angry Pig BBQ Barbeque
Limp Lizard Bar & Grill Barbeque, American, Tex-Mex
Yum Yum Shack American, Asian Fusion, African
PB&J’s Lunch Box American, Burgers, Sandwiches
Cue-Dogs American
Ma & Pa’s Kettle Corn American, Drinks, Desserts
The Baked Potato Express American
The Syracuse Food Truck Association hosts other events at other locations, such as a gathering held Thursday at Long Branch Park in Liverpool.
It’s also sponsoring an upcoming Food Truck Battle that will pit 45 or more trucks from Syracuse and Rochester in a competition. It’s scheduled for Sept. 25 at the New York State Fairgrounds. More details to come.
The Syracuse Food Truck Association is holding a "takeover" of space at Great Northern Mall in Clay through Oct. 27. (Charles Wainwright photo)
Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook.