Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.metro From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Hot dog vendor courts Fairfax Date: Mon, 2 Nov 92 15:45:13 EST Message-ID: \SE B;METROPOLITAN \HD Hot dog vendor courts Fairfax \SH Frankly, wieners inside don't relish the competition \BY Maria Koklanaris \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES If Liz Adams had set up her tiny business in the District, she'd be elbow to elbow with 2,000 competitors, fighting for a piece of the lunchtime worker and tourist crowds. But in Fairfax County, she has a monopoly. Mrs. Adams, a 17-year resident of the sprawling county of 830,000 people, is Fairfax's only licensed hot dog street vendor. She began peddling frankfurters, half-smokes, chips and sodas about two weeks ago outside the county courthouse on Chain Bridge Road. "I feel lucky that I'm here," said Mrs. Adams, who lives in Annandale with her husband and five children. "Every day [business] has picked up some." Reviews are good. "I had a half-smoke," said Sheriff Carl Peed. "Delicious." Mrs. Adams is even more popular with his deputies who complained about the prices and selection available in the courthouse cafeteria. "Having this lady set up out here is the best thing that ever happened to this place," said one. The cafeteria "has had a captive audience here," added another. "You can't drive anywhere [for lunch] - you'll lose your parking space." Indeed, the cafeteria management are the only folks who don't seem to like her, at least according to Mrs. Adams. She said that when she set up shop they asked to see her license and told her Service America Corp. has an exclusive contract with the county to sell food at the courthouse. "They've been trying to chase me off," Mrs. Adams said. County officials said the contract doesn't apply to sales outside the building. Cafeteria workers at the courthouse referred questions to Steve Smith, a district manager for Service America. He declined comment. Mrs. Adams said she'll be in her usual spot this morning, but how long she'll remain is unknown. On Friday, the courthouse was abuzz with talk that county officials, trying to protect their contract with Service America, would force her to leave. The issue had even gotten as far as Board of Supervisors Chairman Thomas M. Davis III, according to the rumor mill. But John Hishta, Mr. Davis' chief of staff, said the chairman has never heard of Mrs. Adams. Mrs. Adams, who was a waitress for 30 years, has been selling hot dogs from a cart since January. Her previous location was a quarry in Centreville. She said she wasn't sure where the courthouse was until she had to go there to pay a traffic ticket. "I thought this would be a better place for my hot dog stand," Mrs. Adams said. "I'm not trying to take business from the cafeteria." To move to the courthouse spot, she got a permit from the Department of Consumer Affairs and permission from the zoning department. After that, Mrs. Adams needed one more thing: the blessing of Fairfax Chief Judge Richard J. Jamborsky. The judge said being asked to OK a hot dog stand was a new experience for him, but he saw no reason to say no. He has received no complaints. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM