Popular food truck park in Stedman forced to suspend operations temporarily due to zoning issue

By Stephanie Meador, posted Oct 25, 2024 on BizFayetteville.com

Yummy Hibachi was one of the first food trucks to come out to Stedman, selling out its first night in the town. Photo pulled from Bethany Food Trucks Facebook page.

For about three years now, food trucks have been serving a variety of cuisine to the community of Stedman at 7064 Maxwell Road. However, earlier this week the operation was forced to pump the brakes as a complaint from an anonymous party led the Cumberland County Zoning Board to call and require that the businesses cease their services until the property could be changed from residential to commercial.

Longtime resident of Stedman Kristina Jordan established Bethany Food Trucks as a way to introduce a greater variety of cuisines into her small, tight-knit community.

The food truck park is about more than just the food, it's about the company. Photo pulled from Bethany Food Trucks Facebook page.

“I love all cuisines, and having to drive across the river to Fayetteville after you've lived in this community for, I've lived in this community for 15 years, you get quite comfortable being in the country…so it was like, man, if we could get the food trucks to come out here, we could have different cuisine all the time,” shared Jordan.

She began to gauge the interest of community members and the result was a resounding yes to bringing out the food trucks.

“It took me a while to get the food trucks to come out, because at first the food trucks were like, ‘Stedman? Where is that?’ Like, we were on another planet…Whenever I could get a truck out here. It was like, ‘Okay, we got one coming Thursday, then I didn't have one for a whole week, and then, I got three coming this week, and it really got the community excited,” explained Jordan.

As the trucks came out they continued to see great success in Stedman. Jordan told each of the business owners that they should prepare to sell out.

“Yummy Hibachi was one of my first trucks, and he was just getting his business started, and he was going around different areas, I told him. I said, ‘Look. I've had several trucks here now, your first time out, you better pack every corner of the truck that you can with food, because I promise you, you're going to sell out.’”

Jordan’s advice was followed, and the truck still sold out an hour before closing on his first night in the area. Word of the success at 7064 Maxwell Road spread and suddenly instead of Jordan calling food trucks, they began to call her and look for an opportunity to come out to the site.

The zoning issue came as a surprise to the many community members who have enjoyed the food trucks for years with no problems. While the setback brings frustration, steps are being taken to get the issue resolved and bring the trucks back to the lot.

Jordan shared that the owner of the property has made an appointment with the Planning and Zoning Department, and he is working diligently to complete the necessary paperwork and do whatever it takes to get the food trucks back for the community.

In the meantime, local businesses have offered up space on their properties and in their parking lots for the food trucks to set up and continue serving the community.

“I’ve had several businesses in the community. In Stedman, in Autryville…there've been several businesses that have reached out to me and reached out to the trucks [saying], ‘Look, in the meantime and between time, if you want to set up at my car lot, you can. If you want to set up at my hardware store, you can.’ So they're trying to continue having the trucks here, we just may have to drive a few more minutes to get to them, but we still won't have to cross the river, which is huge for us,” stated Jordan.

For updates on where trucks will be parked during this temporary closure and to keep up with the food truck park follow their Facebook page and keep an eye on their website for additional announcements.

Copyright © 2024 Enhanced Media Management Inc. dba Greater Fayetteville Business Journal
This story may be displayed, reformatted and printed for your personal, noncommercial use only and in accordance with our Terms of Service located at https://bizfayetteville.com/useragreement.