Jamaica Plain Strikes Out on Food Trucks — For Now

The Boston food truck craze is in full swing as the newly-budding spring season promises longer days, warmer temperatures and more outdoor fun.

But according to the City of Boston’s food truck schedule for the month of April, it seems that Jamaica Plain’s only site in Egleston Square has no trucks signed up for any of the twenty-one available shifts. The schedule is attached to this post as a PDF.

Edith Murnane, the director of food initiatives for the city of Boston, says that there are four major ways that food trucks can vend in and around the city.

“There is a process for each that food truck vendors must go through after they’ve been approved to sell.”

One of these options includes going to local private properties and setting up an agreement with them.  This is exactly how food trucks could be coming to a different part of JP starting as early as the end of April.

Last year, a site at the was successful for both the food trucks that sold there and the historic property itself.

Ed Stanley, the president of the Loring-Greenough House, says that there are negotiations in the works to have a few popular food trucks visit the house site every Tuesday from around four in the evening until eight or eight-thirty depending on the sunlight.

“We feel that it’s a win-win situation,” says Stanley.  “The food trucks are prospering and being successful and we feel that more and more people are enjoying the beautiful grounds of the Loring-Greenough House here in Jamaica Plain.”

The three trucks who will set up and sell at the house are BBQ Smith, Bon Me, and The Cupcakory. 

BBQ Smith co-owner, Thomas Smith, says that even though the truck has taken a hiatus since December, they are getting ready to begin selling again this spring.  BBQ Smith specializes in smoky meats and easy BBQ on the go.

“We are actually trying to negotiate a spot in Loring-Greenough house now,” says Smith.  “We’re in the process with the city to get that spot approved so hopefully we'll be there starting there at the end of April.”

According to Smith, food trucks go through a lottery process in order to pick their top spots to sell their food.

“The lottery was organized pretty well,” says Smith.  “They basically put all vendors who had existing permits into a hat and drew names.  When you’re picked, you got to go up and put your name up next to where you want to vend.”

Murnane says food trucks are an important aspect in the neighborhoods, especially in an area like Jamaica Plain.

“The trucks are an expression of their neighborhoods and the residents are happy to have them,” says Murnane, who lives in JP and used to run Cantata and still manages the desserts at .  “There is nothing holding the trucks back; they just have to complete the process.”

The Loring-Greenough House is determined to bring food truck fare to Jamaica Plain.  “We want the community to enjoy the property, the grounds, looking at the house.  Food trucks like these bring those people.”  Stanley says.

“And the food is absolutely delicious.”