Mobile vendors serving up lunch in Cassopolis Friday

Published 10:42 am Thursday, October 11, 2018

CASSOPOLIS — The popularity of food trucks has greatly increased over the past decade. They used to be a novelty people saw in large college towns or major cities, but now they are everywhere. Tomorrow, two will be in Cassopolis for Food Truck Fridays.

Drive Thru Q and Sammy Arepas Latin Flavor will be near downtown Cassopolis tomorrow from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Drive Thru Q will be in the Harding’s parking lot, while Sammy Arepas Latin Flavor will be at the Cass County Administration Building.

“The village has been super supportive by putting out notifications to let people know we’re going to be there,” said Jim Collins, the owner of Drive Thru Q. “All the companies around were pretty happy about having another food source in town. We do pulled pork, brats and hot dogs. Our specialty is a BBQ sundae, which is pulled pork in a bowl with smoked baked beans, coleslaw and BBQ sauce on top of that.”

There are a variety of food items for sale at Drive Thru Q, such as pulled pork with chips for $5, a brat with chips for $5, a hot dog for $2 and a few more creative dishes. The business’s sundae costs $6. Another option is the food truck’s parfait, also $6. This consists of pulled pork, mashed potatoes and gravy and a garnish of pork rind.

Typically, Drive Thru Q sells pork rinds as a side dish, but Collins has chosen not to do so since that is something Harding’s sells.

“We don’t want to undercut them when they’re letting us use their parking lot,” Collins said.

Sammy Arepas Latin Flavor sells arepas, empanadas, tequenos, pabellones and a Venezuelan-style hot dog. Prices per item range from $2.99 to $6.99.

“[The food trucks provide] something different,” Collins said. “Usually, you have mainstays like Subway, but it’s all kind of fast food stuff, but this is a little bit different fast food.”

Collins said he will have to-go containers for anyone who would prefer to eat their food at home or at the office. He said he has owned this food trailer for several years and used to sell food at fairs and other large events, but he retired six years ago.

A Marcellus resident, Collins grew up in Cassopolis and said that he does not mind coming out of retirement on occasion for three to four hours at a time, but he never plans on selling food at another fair.

“It’s a side hobby to make money for fishing trips,” Collins said. “I love talking and meeting with people.”

Both trucks are scheduled to be back next Friday as well. After that, whether or not they show up will be weather dependent.

“If it’s raining and blowing, I’m staying home,” Collins said. “If it’s nice and sunshining, I’ll be more than happy to go out. But I don’t want to be standing in the cold rain. People don’t want to come out and stand, waiting for their food, either.”