Going mobile: Why food trucks and other mobile businesses are on the rise

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forward focus logoMy family and I love food trucks. We love the unique culinary experiences and the variety that exists on the food trucks in our area. Providence has numerous food trucks and Boston has many as well. On any given night we can easily see a dozen or more food trucks parked along the main streets of various neighborhoods within Providence that sell everything from tacos to frozen lemonade.

Growing up, “food trucks” consisted of those that sold ice cream and other frozen treats. Once in a while we would see one that sold sausages and there was also one that we frequented near the Public Garden in Boston that sold soft serve ice cream.

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Today, the mobile food business is a $856.7 million industry and is projected to grow to $985.3 million by 2019. There are some who believe that these numbers represent near-saturation while others believe that there is still much room for growth. Even though food trucks are growing in popularity, they are not the only businesses that are mobile. In addition to food trucks, other types of mobile businesses such as parcel delivery and companies like Snap-On tools have been around for many years. Although mobile businesses have been around for a while, modern technology has allowed us to “go mobile” with almost any business.

Mobile businesses: Going to the Customer.
Mobile businesses: Going to the customer.

There are several advantages to owning a mobile business, including lower start-up costs, lower overhead, greater mobility and ability to go directly to the customer, and lower inventory costs. Some cons of owning a mobile versus a brick and mortar business include compliance to special legal and zoning requirements, customer confusion of your location and access obstacles, maintenance of vehicle, and variable fuel costs.

Nevertheless, owning a mobile business allows one to explore business models that may not be feasible with brick-and-mortar locations and mobility may allow for more uniqueness. For example, a unique and increasingly popular mobile business venture are fashion trucks. According to the American Mobile Retail Association, (AMRA), there are approximately 500 fashion trucks spread across the 50 states. There are several popular fashion trucks that are rolling around, including Gypsy A Go Go, a truck that sells ’70s vintage and new offerings from local vendors. The truck can be found parking primarily in the Wiilaimsburg section of Brooklyn and Rockaway, Queens. La Poubelle Vintage is another popular NYC-based fashion truck. La Poubelle Vintage focuses on edgy and feminine streetwear and can be found rolling around every neighborhood in the city. A little closer to home, ARTichoke Apparel Bus is a Cape Cod-based apparel company that showcases and sells its products both at their Eastham, Massachusetts boutique and on their truck. On the left coast, Le Fashion Truck, based in LA, features clothing and accessories by emerging designers for the woman on the go, including handmade jewelry, handbags, and accessories.

Of course, mobile businesses aren’t limited to clothing. Those in the Detroit area can satisfy their floral needs at the Pot and Box pop-up flower shop while people in the LA area can shop for arrangements at The Flower Truck. If you’re in NYC and are looking for celebrity-inspired sunglasses, statement necklaces, or body jewelry, then look no further than the Celebrities Mobile Boutique. The Third Man Rolling Record Store, which has its roots in Nashville, is both a mobile music store and a pop-up performance venue that travels throughout the country. Bath Petals is an LA-based beauty supply truck where customers can try the company’s all-natural salts and scrubs.

Some other mobile businesses include the Austin-based Wanderlust Coffee Truck, which sells locally roasted, ripe-picked coffee and handcrafted beverages. Bark, Bathe, and Beyond is a Millwood, NY-based mobile dog groomer that provides their services on your property in their self-contained mobile grooming salon. Street Car Cigars is an Allentown, Pennsylvania-based mobile cigar retailer and lounge complete with leather seats, humidors, wood paneling, and multiple televisions.

Cost of bricks-and-mortar is leading people to explore mobile business options.
Cost of bricks-and-mortar is leading people to explore mobile business options.

There are also many options for those who are looking to start a mobile business but would rather go the franchise route. Some of the more popular mobile franchises include mobile bike shop franchise Velofix, mobile dog grooming franchise Zoomin Groomin, mobile fitness franchise GymGuyz, and mobile arcade GameTruck.

There are almost endless possibilities when it comes to a mobile business and the benefits are many. As with any business, whether brick and mortar or mobile, there are risks and thorough research should be done prior to taking the plunge so the entrepreneur knows what to expect. It often comes down to risk – reward.

This is my final pre-Thanksgiving post, so I want to take the opportunity to wish everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving. May everyone be able to enjoy the holiday with loved ones!


ChicoineBorn in Nashua, Brian Chicoine spent his early years in Raymond before moving to Manchester at the age of 9. A few years after graduating from West High School, Brian moved to Providence to complete his undergraduate degree at Rhode Island College. After college Brian got married then he and his new wife Jackie spent a little more than five years in New Hampshire, where their two boys were born. The Chicoine family then returned to Jackie’s home state of Rhode Island and have been living there since. Brian has merged his passion for entrepreneurship and innovation with his love of new and bold ideas to bring fresh perspectives on the way things are done. Brian, Jackie, and their two boys currently live in Rhode Island, but their hearts are in New Hampshire.


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About this Author

Brian Chicoine

Brian Chicoine is a New Hampshire native who moved to Manchester from Raymond in 1980. While a student at Notre Dame College here in Manchester, Brian transferred to Rhode Island College in Providence, where he met his now wife, Jackie. Brian and Jackie spent the next 20 years living in Providence and Manchester, returning to Manchester with their two sons, (who are proud Manchester natives), in the fall of 2017. He and his family intend on staying in Manchester and are committed to helping make it an even better place to live, work, and play.