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The Chronicle T H E I N D E P E N D E N T D A I LY AT D U K E U N I V E R S I T Y
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
WWW.DUKECHRONICLE.COM
ONE HUNDRED AND TWELFTH YEAR, ISSUE 8
‘Doomed to fail’: Food trucks struggle in new locations Adam Beyer, Neelesh Moorthy and Samantha Neal The Chronicle Several food truck owners serving Duke’s campus have complained that their new locations have drastically hurt their profitability. In preparation of West Union reopening in August, food truck owners were notified in July that there would be changes to their assigned locations, which had previously been on Chapel Drive, but did not receive a final schedule until mid-August. Several truck owners, including those from ParlezVous Crêpe, The Humble Pig and Mixed Korean Bistro noted that they were unable to access an assigned location in the Kilgo parking lot and were misinformed about potential demand near the new assignment on Swift Avenue. The food truck owners said that they requested a joint meeting with dining administrators, which was denied. Instead, each truck was granted an individual meeting. Jody Argote, Parlez-Vous Crêpe’s owner, said her truck was sent an initial schedule in August that included 15 minutes for her truck to pack up and move between Swift and Kilgo. After responding that this was impossible, she was sent a new schedule with times on both Wednesdays and Thursdays, prompting her to cancel prior engagements on Thursdays. She was later sent a third schedule Aug. 24. Argote attempted to access the Kilgo lot on Wednesday, but found it inaccessible because she pulls a trailer and other vehicles blocked the site. “We live an hour away,” Argote said.
Austin Peer | The Chronicle Food trucks have been relocated from their previous spots on Chapel Drive to the Kilgo parking lot and Swift Avenue.
“We had trailer full of food that had to turn around and throw out. That was not only a loss of sales but also a loss of our food costs.” Director of Dining Services Robert Coffey wrote in an email that Duke Dining met with each food truck operator before the Fall semester to review the locations and times. He noted that the food trucks had suggestions to the calendar rotation schedule and that Duke Dining listened and made the changes requested by each truck. He and parking enforcement officers have been on site in the evenings to ensure
that the trucks can park in their designated areas, he said. ‘Bait and switch’ Ross McCarthy, co-owner of The Humble Pig with his wife Jessica, wrote in an email that they understood Duke’s desire to capitalize on their West Union investment. Because of that, he asked Duke Dining if they should prepare to lose their contracts and gear for a “professional exit,” but Duke assured him that they could continue to operate. McCarthy noted that conversations with Duke Dining have been fragmented, what
he called a “bait and switch.” Now, the truck is under contract to operate in an area—Swift Avenue and Kilgo Quadrangle on Wednesdays and Sundays—with too little demand. “Duke Dining reassured our presence on campus, and then changed our service locations and schedule in the last moment,” he wrote. “They even changed our point of contacts, breaking any continuity to our conversations. They misled my company into booking services that are producing no revenue. They are asking us to operate at a loss, while they still collect 17.2% on all sales. They have set up a system under terms they know are unsustainable.” Larry Moneta, vice president for student affairs, wrote in an email he was “certain” food trucks were given notice Duke would be returning to the “previous and long-standing schedules” from before the West Union initially closed. However, McCarthy wrote that, had he known this was going to happen, he would not have passed on the former business he ran to come to Duke on Tuesday evenings, adding he was concerned about paying the staff he employs. When asked whether Chapel Drive was being shut down for parking, Vice President for Administration Kyle Cavanaugh explained in an email that there are discussions about limiting access “for a combination of safety reasons.” Under the most recent schedule, Argote said her truck is scheduled to be at Swift on first and third Wednesdays of each month and at Kilgo second and fourth Wednesdays. She said this will likely be confusing to students and detrimental to business. The schedule is also at odds with what was See FOOD TRUCKS on Page 5
Admins hope construction will unite campus services Bre Bradham The Chronicle With three construction projects on campus wrapping up in the coming year, students will gain access to an array of new resources and creative facilities. The Student Health and Wellness Center is projected to open in January 2017, the Science Drive Parking Garage the same month and the Arts Center by October 2017. Sue Wasiolek, associate vice president for student affairs, said students currently frustrated about construction now will soon have access to its benefits. “At least two of those projects, the Arts Building and the Health and Wellness Building, will have a very direct impact
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on students, students’ lives and student services,” she said. “I think that everyone understands that with progress it is not unusual to have a level of inconvenience that goes along with it.” Wasiolek noted that student resources will be better integrated with the completion of the Student Health and Wellness Building because a variety of related resources—from Counseling and Psychological Services to a pharmacy—will be consolidated. She added that this intended to simplify how students pursue healthcare and encourage a more proactive approach to wellness. To provide a holistic wellness experience, Student Affairs will also include a garden in the back of the building, Wasiolek said. This will be completed by February 2017.
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See CONSTRUCTION on Page 4
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INSIDE — News 2 Sports 7 Classified 9 Crossword 9 Opinion 10
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Han Kang | The Chronicle The new Student Health and Wellness Center is scheduled to open in January 2017 and will feature a garden in the back of the building.
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