The Power of the Food Truck

It's like magic. Quick and easy food and some live music scattered throughout Magnolia Park Burbank and people turn out in droves. Especially on a hot summer evening. With so many people present you can get a feel for what the area could (will?) be like every weekend as interesting shops and restaurants begin to fill more of the buildings. This event is officially called "Ladies Night Out" because it was originally the salon, and boutique owners - mostly women  - who wanted to attract customers beyond the normal closing times of 5 and 6 PM. It now draws women, men, and families. You'll see lots of strollers and lots of people walking dogs. 

I spoke with the owner of Bearded Lady Vintage who explained that he doesn't make a lot of sales on this evening because his stuff is larger and can't be carried around while you're visiting food trucks. He said that many people discover his store and then return on the weekend to buy something. That's the big benefit of evenings like this. People who would have otherwise never walked past these businesses are given a reason to and then discover great alternatives to the often predictable merchandise found in chain stores.

Evenings like this build on the investments the city has made including, wide, well-maintained sidewalks, street trees, built in benches, and attractive and safe crosswalks. The business owners are wisely taking advantage of these investments and creating something very exciting for the City of Burbank. Just looking at these pictures makes you want to be there.

Magnolia Park

Magnolia Park is one of several charming neighborhoods in Burbank, California. I like this picture for a couple reasons. First, someone is taking a picture that they likely uploaded to Instagram or Facebook so the other perspective of this shot is online somewhere. Second, rather than placing the tables, chairs, and umbrellas against the window of the cafe the business owner chose to place then in the very generous public right-of-way. This is less of an intrusion into where people walk, but it also brings the action further into the public realm. Notice also how the parked cars provide a protective buffer between the traffic on the street and the people sitting down. The tree well is very large to accommodate the root system of the enormous ficus tree which, although it grows quick;y and provides a dense tree canopy is probably not the best choice for a street tree.

Signs

At first glance cluttered and definitely not code compliant, but for some reason it has its charm. Maybe it's that incredible boot.