The much-anticipated 11th Street Station, a food truck collective on Main Avenue, will open Monday to the public.
The ’50s-themed business will also feature a coffee shop and full bar with a selection of mezcal.
City regulations in Durango have made it difficult for food trucks to thrive.
Food trucks cannot operate on a public street or park, and they must find a private lot and request a six-month permit from the city to operate. After six months, the trucks are required to vacate the space for at least half a year.
11th Street Station owners, father-son duo Jaime and Marcos Wisner, recognized the barriers food truck vendors face and came up with a solution.
“The food trucks are on a lease, and the goal is for them to gain enough following to branch out,” Marcos Wisner said.
The five food trucks are locally owned and can remain parked at the business for as long as they have a lease.
Vendors include The Box, Manny’s Fresh Co., Backcountry Gourmet, Smokin’ on Wheels and Mariana’s Authentic Cuisine.
The business is modeled to resemble the Conoco service station that existed on the corner of 11th Street and Main Avenue in the 1950s.
“The ’50s is a fun theme, and it was an awesome era,” Marcos Wisner said. “We find it very aesthetically pleasing.”
The aptly named bar, Ernie’s, pays homage to the gas station’s owner, Ernie Schaaf.
Because the food truck vendors operate independently of the business, their hours vary. The coffee shop – Taste Coffee – opens at 6:30 a.m. Ernie’s bar opens at 11 a.m.
Marcos Wisner said 11th Street Station will additionally host events such as weekend farmers markets, silent movies and live music.
“This business is something the city really attached to and supported,” he said.
mrupani@durangoherald.com
