It started with food trucks. Those vans that pull up to the side of a road or parking lot and sell food. Hot dog stands were a regular corner feature in most towns, now food trucks are becoming more popular throughout the country. The reception to these is mixed. Hungry people think they are a great way to be fed quickly without having to resort to a burger from a chain. Other food establishments feel that it is a threat to their business. There is also a concern of noise and mess.
What I love about food trucks is that, if there are a number of them in one place, everybody in the group can find something they like.
So what does this have to do with yarn you ask? Well it’s just a preamble to other trucks. What started as mobile eateries has developed into a variety of mobile emporiums. The difference between a food truck and a non-food truck is that instead of being served through a side window, you actually enter the truck to view goods.
I believe that the first non-food trucks sold clothes, but now entrepreneurs are using the format to sell all types of goods.
I heard about the Yarnover Truck when one of my Calgary friends linked to a report in the LA Times. I had been to food trucks (love the row of them in downtown Portland) but had not visited any other types, and, of course, I was interested in anything that sold yarn. Except they were based in the LA area and there was plenty to keep them busy up there so they didn’t need a freeway journey to other areas of Southern California.
I was very pleased when over Memorial Day weekend they visited two wineries in the area. Especially as I had a gift certificate for one of them. But alas it was not to be. Oh well it was just a place that sold yarn, right? There are bricks and mortar stores in North County where I can buy yarn.
So I was excited when they came to San Diego on 30 June as part of the West Coast Mobile Retail Road Trip. Now, believe it or not, I did actually need some yarn. I had started a shawl, designed by a good friend of mine, that was worked in two colours. I used one colour from my stash and now needed another colour, although there was no rush as I had plenty of other things to make. (If I wasn't in public I'd be rotflmao right now, did I really write that with a straight face?) I took the project with me and was really happy to immediately spot yarn that would go with my project. And, it is the same weight the only difference is it is 75% wool/25% nylon whereas the original yarn is 100% wool.
I was very well behaved and didn’t really look at the other yarns. I don’t need any more yarn on spec even though there was some lovely dusky pink lace weight. My impression was that the truck mainly had lighter weight yarns although I did see some heavier weights. But that makes sense as in their market area you do not really need heavy weight yarn. Also, I don’t know if this was part of their business plan but thinner yarn takes less room. In other words you can stock more.
And as there was a food truck at the event, we patronized that too.
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