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| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| Hot-Dog '$ide' Dish |
| 2009-01-08 |
| Even in the wacky world of Big Apple real estate, this is a tale for the ages: a hot-dog vendor has agreed to pay the city $81,701 more a year to peddle franks on the north side of the Metropolitan Museum of Art entrance than on the south side 100 feet away. In what may be the epitome of the location-is-everything maxim, the Parks Department has auctioned off the food-vending rights to the north-side entrance of the museum on Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street for $362,201 and the south-side entrance for $280,500, both to first-time vendor Pasang Sherpa. The rents increase over the five-year term of the contract, to $384,371 and $297,669, respectively. "That [north] side is more busy," explained Sherpa. Many museum visitors use the nearby 86th Street/Lexington Avenue subway express stop to the north. "It's just the flow of traffic," agreed competitor Dan Rossi, who set up shop without permission and isn't paying the city a cent, citing a regulation that lets veterans like himself bypass the bidding process. Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe said all bidders were made aware they wouldn't be getting an exclusive franchise, and added the lofty results were a "pleasant surprise." Sherpa, 50, who used to sell jewelry on Canal Street, outbid the New York One hot-dog company by a total of $65,000 a year, as well as a third bidder. With more than 5 million visitors a year, the Met is a hot-dog seller's paradise since the nearest eateries are blocks away. The location has also become a cash cow for the Parks Department, which has been able to increase vending rents steadily on what might be the most expensive retail space per square foot in the country. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #13 by there i mean in the city.. i don't know what address he worked. said he had a decent spot, but couldn't get an in with anyplace real good as they get doled out as favors to people who "keep things running" i suppose that meant "i want you to give the best spot to my cousin's kid or jimmy the weasel will keep loosing your deliveries and you wont sell no hot dogs for a whiles" |
| Posted by: Abu do you love 2009-01-08 22:45 |
| #12 one of my room mates in college worked as a hot dog vendor there in the late 80's. he 'subbed' the spot and rented the cart from the guy who had forked out for the license. he said he walked away with $350 on a slow day after expenses. also said the guy he subbed from made more that 2x that. this was 20 years ago... i am sure they do better now |
| Posted by: Abu do you love 2009-01-08 22:40 |
| #11 All right. Now I'm depressed. |
| Posted by: ex-lib 2009-01-08 14:00 |
| #10 the met is on 5th avenue in a residential area. There are NO restaurants nearby, IIRC. You buy a hot dog, OR you pay the outrageous amounts at the museum restaurant, OR you walk all the way to Lexington avenue. I doubt they are making only .25 per hot dog. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2009-01-08 13:43 |
| #9 Just imagine how much a land Value Tax would raise USA wide! You could get rid of harmful taxes on Income, profits, inheritance, purchases & tariffs and have enough left over to give every U.S. citizen a dividend that would make immigration less problematic (no dividend). I know it might be a bit too capitalistic for you guys to run the whole country like a business, but I think it's a good idea. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2009-01-08 13:39 |
| #8 I bet income is higher than that. Many of these cash businesses don't report accurately and don't pay taxes on it. |
| Posted by: Lumpy Elmoluck5091 2009-01-08 13:27 |
| #7 Exclusive licenses mean higher prices. This is just another hidden tax. |
| Posted by: DoDo 2009-01-08 11:43 |
| #6 1 in 10 visitors get a dog on way in or out and take home $.25 per dog it would be doing alright thats $125,000; and that is a very low end guestimate - that is regular commuters not counted and/or take home more per dog. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2009-01-08 11:27 |
| #5 Y'all, are you talking about hot dogs or hot cats? In any case, I am in a wrong bizness, it looks. |
| Posted by: Spike Uniter 2009-01-08 02:39 |
| #4 Ya got that right. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2009-01-08 01:18 |
| #3 Damn. How much do these guys make? You'd be shocked! |
| Posted by: Spusosh the Prolific6862 2009-01-08 01:17 |
| #2 Damn. How much do these guys make? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2009-01-08 01:06 |
| #1 D **** NG, forgot the source but IIRC ARTICLE > Milyuhns and Zilyuhns and Tilyuhns of CATS/FELINES were repor being shipped to CHINA [restaurants] to be killed and served as Entrees = Main Courses??? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-01-08 00:27 |