MOUNT VERNON — The Woolson Company Food Court began its first day of business this Friday. The to-go food court, founded by Mount Vernon downtown businessman Larry Woolson, sits on the 300 block lot of South Main Street. The food court currently has three trucks in service.
Woolson said he bought his own food truck and the empty lot a few years ago and had floated the idea of the outdoor food court for a while. When the COVID-19 crisis shut down events and fairs where Woolson provided pop-up restaurants, he decided it was time to realize the idea.
It took two to three months of planning and work to turn the vacant lot into a workable and pleasant space for customers and the food trucks.
Bob Wilson (Bob Wilson & Son Excavating) helped to level and graveling the lot. Woolson, Alan Wagner and Russ McGibney worked on the landscaping together. Janelle McGregor designed the landscaping and lot decorations with Kelly Purdy’s assistance.
McGibney, Purdy and a new employee Debbie Robbinson all worked in Woolson’s food truck.
Linda Cookman, a customer, came from Gambier to Woolson’s truck specifically for its Coney hot dog.
Cookman said there used to be an establishment around that had Coneys. After the establishment closed, this is the first place she can find that serves Coneys in town.
“It’s a nostalgia thing,” Cookman said.
Sugar Waffles, a 50-year-old waffle vendor, also has a truck on the court, expected to open in the evening.
Another veteran food vendor is Weldon’s Ice Cream — a family-owned ice cream factory and vendor with 90 years of history.
Vendor and operator Steve Pierce showed a postcard of the Weldon’s Ice Cream Factory in Millersport in 1936. In the picture, Pierce and his brother Stuart Pierce pointed out that the siblings grew up upstairs above the shop where customers would sit out on the porch.
The ice cream shop officially opened for business in 1930 on Mother’s Day, Pierce shared. Pierce’s mother was shown in a white dress in the picture.
Pierce said he used to drag race in the late ’70s. When his friend and groundskeeper at the race track wanted to bring ice cream vendors to the track, Pierce and Weldon’s Ice Cream came to the service.
This year, the business was “not good,” Pierce said. But he expected the sales to pick up in July and August at some of the fairs and events that are still scheduled to happen.
Pierce shared that he thinks what attracts people to Weldon’s Ice Cream is its unique ice cream “flavors that no one else has.” The family makes their own ice cream, prepares and decorates it by hand for customers.
Friday was Weldon’s Ice Cream’s first day on the food court. It is expected to operate there every day from approximately 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., according to Pierce.
Woolson expressed that he hopes the food court’s choice of vendors would be what sets it apart.
“We don’t want to take any business away (from others),” Woolson said, explaining that the vendors on the court are selling what other food truck vendors are not.
Woolson Company Food Court plans to be open every weekday from approximately 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. with shorter hours on Saturday.
