Brian Ly/Staff

Dojo Dog, one of the three food trucks forced to vacate their operations at the intersection of Bancroft Way and Telegraph Avenue last December because of construction on campus, opened at a new location at Bancroft Way and College Avenue Thursday.

Dojo Dog owners Michael Koh, a UC Berkeley alumnus,  and Jason Chou said they felt comfortable opening at the new location following a July 24 report by the Berkeley city manager stating that all three vendors may reapply for permits for their original locations once construction concludes.

“Just having that chance, instead of being shut out completely, we felt like we got what we wanted, so we just thought we would open up,” Chou said.

Although the report says that all three vendors can reapply for their old locations, it states that reconstruction of the MLK Jr. Student Union and the AC Transit stop at the intersection will cause major changes to pedestrian traffic, requiring city staff members to re-evaluate the area before they make any final food truck decisions.

Dojo Dog has also lowered its prices since moving, but Chou said that was something they were planning on doing prior to being shut down.

“Definitely, being shut down impacted us negatively, with eight months of having to still pay a bulk of our costs just to stay legal,” Chou said. “We still had to pay a commissary fee, we still had to pay insurance, we had to throw out all our inventory.”

Chou said that while the new location does not seem to have as much foot traffic as the old location, he is excited for the school year to begin and more people to be on campus so they can enjoy delicious food at a fair price.

“We got into this business because we love this community, and a lot of our staff are part of this school community in particular,” Chou said. “We wanted to start this kind of a food truck because we thought it was something that would bring a lot of joy to people.”

Contact Chase Schweitzer at cschweitzer@dailycal.org and follow him on Twitter @ChaseSchweitz.

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Andrew Kuo/File

After months of controversy and negotiations, the three food trucks previously located in front of Sproul Plaza have found a new location.

The three food trucks will be able to reopen at Bancroft Way and College Avenue in April, according to Councilmember Kriss Worthington. Worthington and Mayor Tom Bates have both been personally involved in advocating for the food trucks’ return in recent weeks. The food trucks were asked to leave campus in December following construction on Lower Sproul.

Ann Vu and Jack Huynh, respective owners of Healthy Heavenly Foods and Kettle Corn Star, plan on reopening as soon as the city completes necessary preparations, like new signage and street markings. Michael Koh, owner of Dojo Dog, anticipates that it will take longer for Dojo Dog to return.

“(Reopening) will take time,” Koh said. “On the operations side, we have to restock inventory. I had no hope of coming back, so I was not prepared.”

He plans to open briefly in the summer and make a full return in the fall.

Koh, Vu and Huynh were notified Tuesday of the new location, Huynh said.

Huynh cited media coverage and pressure from Worthington as reasons the issue came to the forefront of the City Council’s busy agenda. Though the owners are appreciative of action that has been taken, they are still anticipating what the future will bring.

Vu said, however, that the new spot “is a little far, with less business — I can tell this for sure.”

“We’re satisfied in the sense that we get to go back to work,” Huynh said. “As for how that new location will work out, only time will tell. We’re taking it one step at a time and are grateful.”

Contact Christine Tyler at ctyler@dailycal.org.

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Brenna Alexander/File

City Councilmember Kriss Worthington has asked the city to assist the owners of the food trucks previously located in front of Sproul Plaza in finding new locations.

At its March 19 meeting, Berkeley City Council will consider a referral submitted by Worthington requesting the city manager to assist Michael Koh, Ann Vu and Jack Huynh, the respective owners of Dojo Dog, Healthy Heavenly Foods and Kettle Corn Star, in relocating their businesses. The move comes more than two months after the vendors were asked to vacate the property in December due to Lower Sproul construction.

Mayor Tom Bates has also called upon the city manager to look into finding alternative locations for the vendors.

Worthington characterized the vendors’ notice to vacate two days before the beginning of construction as “offensive and outrageous.” Usually, authorized businesses are notified one to two months in advance if they need to vacate for construction purposes, he said.

“This construction project has been planned for five years,” Worthington said. “It’s not like some emergency that just sprung up.”

Worthington said he hopes his referral will prompt the city to consider alternatives for the vendors more seriously in the future.

The owners, who invested in the trucks last year under a four-year permit program with the city, are reaching out for either alternative locations or compensation from the city because they cannot afford to keep paying the trucks’ parking permits or insurance.

The vendors say Worthington’s action may bring them the help they need to earn their livelihoods again.

“It’s kind of like when you’re drowning and someone throws you a rope,” said Koh, a UC Berkeley senior. “The city was pretty much going to avoid us. Because of (Worthington), they will start to reinvestigate and put in some serious effort.”

Vu has also been trying to reach out to UC Berkeley students on Lower Sproul for help in further gaining attention from the city.

“I went there last Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to reach out to students,” Vu said. “The people support me.”

The vendors said their previous locations near Lower Sproul were ideal but that they are willing to operate anywhere the city allows as long as they will receive business.

Worthington said he hopes the city can come to an agreement with the vendors in the next two weeks, before Berkeley City Council is set to discuss the request.

Aly Neumann covers city government. Contact her at aneumann@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter @AlyNeumann.

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After being asked to vacate in December, the owners of the food trucks previously located in front of Sproul Plaza find themselves still rapidly losing money with nowhere to go. The city notified Michael Koh, Ann Vu and Jack Huynh, respective owners of Dojo Dog, Healthy Heavenly Foods and Kettle Corn Star, to move off the property in December to make room for Lower Sproul construction. The vendors are now saying that they will have to take legal action if the city does not find them alternative locations or compensate them for their business losses. Read more here.

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On Tuesday, the city notified the food trucks Dojo Dog, Healthy Heavenly Foods and Kettle Corn Star that they had three days to move off the property in order to allow for upcoming construction on Lower Sproul.

Ann Vu, owner of Healthy Heavenly Foods, said that this was the first notification she and the other food truck owners had received and that the trucks will have to stay off the site for at least two years.

“It was too short notice — I have no plan,” Vu said. “It’s very horrible for my business. I need the income for my family.”

The construction — a part of the Lower Sproul Redevelopment Project — is scheduled to begin next week, and the sidewalks, as well as part of the street, will be closed off, said Christine Shaff, communications director of the campus Facilities Services Department.

Even though the construction will be managed by the university, the property on which the food trucks operate remains under the purview of the city, according to Shaff.

“Food trucks are regulated by the city of Berkeley — they are there via whatever permissions the city gives,” Shaff said. “We’ve done our best to let local business owners know when construction is coming up … as far as having any authority to talk them about their location — that’s the city.”

Vu said that the city officials she spoke with encouraged her to scout the area surrounding the campus to look for potential relocation sites. But the odds of finding a location that belongs to the city and attracts as much foot traffic as Sproul Plaza are low, she said.

“There’s a lot on the line — I’ve invested a lot of time and money in this … these trucks don’t come cheap,” said Michael Koh, owner of Dojo Dog and a UC Berkeley senior. “We were expecting a four-year plan and have only been here for eight or nine months.”

Koh said that he and the other owners are scheduled to meet with city officials to negotiate on Friday to work towards some sort of resolution.

“It’s very tough having finals and dealing with things like this,” Koh said. “I’m supposed to be studying, but I just can’t when my business is getting screwed.”

Sara Khan covers academics and administration. Contact her at skhan@dailycal.org.

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