RED BANK GIVES PUSHCART VENDOR IDEA A SPIN

The Halloween Witches Dance in Riverside Gardens Park last October. (Photo by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge.)

By BRIAN DONOHUE

Do you have what it takes to be Red Bank’s version of Wildwood’s fudgy wudgy man or New York City’s $1 tamale Queen? Here’s your shot.

The Borough of Red Bank is creating a new pushcart license for a vendor to sell food and drink in borough parks this summer.

The idea came in response to what Deputy Mayor Kate Triggiano said were requests from residents for food and drink sales since a concession space in Riverside Gardens Park was converted to an office for the Red Bank Parking Authority Office a few years ago.

And with the new mega playground set to open in Marine Park this summer, there’s likely to be even more kids and parents clamoring for bomb pops and paletas.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra performs in Marine Park in 2024.

And so, the council passed a resolution in February authorizing the borough to solicit bids from vendors to operate a food/beverage cart. The minimum bid for the concession is $1,000. The type of food is up to the seller.

“We left it open, if someone wants to do ice cream, hot dogs, falafel, gyros – we left it open,” Borough Attorney Greg Cannon said at the February 26 meeting. “One of the restrictions we did put on it, are that you cannot just show up with a shopping cart full of pretzels like you get at a football game. You have to have a commercial-grade pushcart that is commercially, aesthetically proper for a brand new Marine Park.”

The pushcart will be licensed to operate seasonally, during the same May 15 to September 30 schedule as Broadwalk, the Broad Street pedestrian plaza.

A 2009 photo of the concession stand in Riverside Gardens Park. They serve parking tickets out of this place now, not hot dogs.

The pushcart operator would be licensed to sell in borough parks, including Marine Park, Maple Cove and Riverside Gardens Park.

“I’m sure the operator of the pushcart will eventually find the most popular spot,” Cannon said.

Prospective bidders must submit a bid to the Borough by April 3.

redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331.

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