By STAFF | CBCNews.ca

Long Dick’s Sausage Emporium currently operates on Duckworth Street in front on the Sir Humphrey Gilbert building. CBC (CBC)

 Fancy food trucks are all the rage in the restaurant business – everything from tacos to gourmet sandwiches to specialty coffees, but they’re having a tough time rolling out in St. John’s.

Long Dick’s Sausage Emporium spent its first year of business fighting Newfoundland Power for a permanent power hook-up. Now, the owner is worried about being permanently tied to a bad location.

“Every day I get asked, why aren’t I downtown? Why aren’t I closer to the action,” said owner and cook Steve Smith outside his stationed food truck on Duckworth Street.

Smith said he wants to be closer the George Street bar district and its heavy foot traffic. But the only mobile vendor spaces currently in that area are occupied with popular chip trucks that aren’t going anywhere.

Smith said he located on Duckworth Street, in front of the Sir Humphrey Gilbert building, because it was the only spot available.

Better sausage spot

Smith said his dream would be to lease an empty lot from the city and set-up off the street, but for now, he’ll settle for something a little closer to George Street.

“It’s not so much a compromise, it’s a matter of survival,” he said.

Another food truck bites the dust

Last year, another food-truck business went bust in a battle over location.

The owners of Mohamed Ali’s were eventually approved for a space, but gave up on the idea of a food truck in favour of a traditional restaurant because got tied up in red tape with the city.

 http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2012/09/21/nl-food-truck-wants-new-home-921.html