2009.10.22
The hot dog lady scores big on Thursday!
STEPHANIE KLEIN-DAVIS | The Roanoke Times Photo taken October 21, 2009 Mendy Songer, 45, of Bedford County, has set-up her hot dog stand at the corner of 3rd Street and Norfolk Avenues across from the Virginia Museum of Transporation. On Wednesday a car load of visitors traveling down from Keswick, (near Charlottesville/Gordonsville).
Mendy Songer sold all 100 of her $2 hot dogs on Thursday, and found herself turning away some hungry customers by the time she packed up her pushcart at 2 p.m. She sold out of chips, too.
"Now I can pay my phone bill!" she said.
The customers came despite the fact that city utility crews literally blocked 3rd Street southwest at Salem Avenue for the morning and early afternoon. They were working on underground water pipes, or the sewers, or something.
At one point, Roanoke sheriff's deputies lined up seven deep to buy Mendy's franks. At another, a worker from Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital drove over and bought a bagful to take back.
On Friday, Mendy will be heading out to an industrial park she usually sets up in on that day (and most Wednesdays, too). She'll be next to Happy's Flea Market on Williamson Road on Saturday and Sunday, and back downtown near the Virginia Transportation Museum on Monday.
Here's the column I wrote that helped bring Mendy those customers.
Check out the comments on this blog post.
I've also heard from other street vendors who've been stymied by the city from doing business downtown.
Do you know which industrial park? Thanks!
Comment by Sandi Saunders — October 22, 2009 @ 4:19 pm
Sandi,
I think it's Blue Hills or something like that -- wherever Orvis and Cooper-Crouse is, that's where she goes.
Comment by Dan Casey — October 22, 2009 @ 4:23 pm
We will find her, we are one park over (the old one behind the junk yard)! Hot dog Friday sounds great. Being a vegetarian, I can only have the bun and some condiments, but I will get a bagful for the office.
Comment by Sandi Saunders — October 22, 2009 @ 4:41 pm
PS Dan, the City likes you to call it RCIT (Roanoke Center for Industry & Technology) but yeah, everyone says "Blue Hills"
Heck, at least they have a sign. No one knows who Statesman Industrial Park is and we have been here 30 years.
Comment by Sandi Saunders — October 22, 2009 @ 4:43 pm