Detroit area health dept. questions

Hello All,

So I just bought a hot dog cart to operate in Detroit. This is my first venture selling hot dogs, and it appears that i'm in for a wild ride with the health dept ( assuming other posts about HD's are accurate). Is there anyone on the forum here that has dealt with mobile food inspections in Detroit. Thanks in advance.

if your smart youll stay out of detroit,ive dealt with the city
unless you have friends you will fail

I'm not familiar with the east side of the state, but considering the number of vendors, shouldn't be too big of a deal... Here's a couple links that may help you out. Best of Luck There!

http://www.waynecounty.com/hhSvcs/environ/food.htm
http://www.waynecounty.com/hhSvcs/environ/foodMonitor.htm
http://www.macombcountymi.gov/publichealth/Forms.htm
http://www.michigan.gov/mda/1,1607,7-125-1568_2387_2435---,00.html

I know you were only askin about the Health Dept ... but street vending in Detroit is such a rare thing, I thought I'd throw in a few other comments as well ...

First, Detroit needs street vendors. I can count the number of times I have EVER seen a street food vendor in the city on one hand. In that way it is a wide open market.

Second, street vending anywhere in the city (and I mean *anywhere*) can be very, VERY dangerous ... let me qualify that; quite significantly more dangerous "than the average for all other big cities".
An enclosed concession trailer would be preferable to a push-cart in terms of safety.

Detroit is a city that is in free-fall and completely out of control with regards to crime, substance abuse, unemployment, population decline and governmental corruption and incompetence. As of a few months ago per the Detroit News - the city's leading newspaper, the city's jobless rate was 14.5%. And besides being the highest in the country, the jobless and unemployment rates continue to climb as massive layoffs and business closings continue.

So, if yer gonna sell dogs, I'd suggest making them to the "good deal" end of the spectrum rather than the "premium priced" end of the spectrum.

That having been said ...

The Wayne County health department is the health department in charge.

The city may also require permits etc.

The only reason I could ever think of to have a street food vendor operation in Detroit is if you can consistantly set up a location that is near very certain venues ... the Fox theater, GreekTown, Eastern Market, Tiger Stadium (baseball), Ford Field (football), or Joe Louis Arena (Hockey). Detroit’s basketball team, the Pistons do not play in the city - they play 50 miles away in Auburn Hills.
Just for the hell of it you might also check out each of the areas around each of the stations for the city's elevated train, the People Mover. (a ride on the People Mover is worth it anyway ... but I digress)

If I was going to do it, one of the first places I'd try would be Eastern Market (the city's warehousing, food, produce and meatpacking district) ... but to be honest, this would be my choice in part because I'm particularly familiar with the district and have had friends and family who own businesses and/or work there.
You'll have to evaluate all the locations carefully.

Anywhere you go you could run into substantial resistance from other places that serve food. Running a business in Detroit is a hard-scrabble existence and city of Detroit mostly "rolls up the carpets" and closes down at sundown ... the exceptions that stay open are the sports venues, the casinos, and the Fox Theater district.

Finally, my best piece of advice would be to make sure that in your plans you factor-in reduced hours (and reduced sales) from what you'd originally thought.

The net of this is that the Health Department is going to be the least of your worries.

Best of luck.
Sonny

Sonny, you make some really good points.. A month or so ago, in the Free Press, I read about vendors thriving in the downtown area.. Not being there, I can only say from what I've read.. But Detroit is not alone in these economic times.. The entire state is in the bag (weighted down by concrete and tossed into the river)..

That would be welcome news if some are braving the weather and the economy to be out street vending Uncle Vic.
The city has put a lot of money and effort into establishing venues and destinations to bring visitors into the City ... and not just the three casinos. I for one am ready for a hot dog at Campus Martius or any of the other business/recreational areas. Vendors, musicians, buskers (street performers) ... the city needs more of all of them.
Things will pick up too once the weather breaks as far as foot traffic.
Man, I'm ready for summer.

quote:

Originally posted by Sonny Funzio

Man, I'm ready for summer.

DITTO!

The other thing about Detroit and a Hot Dog cart is that they will never stand for anything but a great dog. Boiling I think is out of the question and you better be using Koegels or Kowalski natural skin dogs. Your chili better be up to par also. You serve an average dog in that town and you will go broke....Russ