Courthouse Taco Truck Is Huge Hit: Ferak Column

JOLIET, IL — On Tuesday there was buzz around downtown Joliet because of something new and unexpected. When you walked inside the elevators at the Will County Courthouse there was a strong smell of food, Mexican food. For the first time, the city of Joliet decided to allow a local business to operate a food truck in front of the courthouse. Business was booming.

The business chosen for the trial run was Supermercado La Loma, which is located in the Ridgewood area of the city's east side, at 410 Walnut St. On Tuesday, the La Loma food truck was dishing up hundreds of steak tacos, pork tacos, chicken tacos outside the Will County Courthouse.

The tacos were $2. La Loma also sold soda and water for $1.

Nearby, Joliet Patch spoke with city of Joliet Inspector General Chris Regis. He was standing along Jefferson Street monitoring the trial run of the downtown food truck. Regis said he was pleasantly surprised at just how many people were flocking to the La Loma taco truck.

He said that Mayor Bob O'Dekirk was instrumental in coming up with the idea of trying a food truck in downtown Joliet.

"It's been spontaneous," Regis said of the crowds. "People seem to like it."

Regis said La Loma was allowed to set up their food truck in downtown Joliet from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., just for Tuesday.

Moving forward, Regis said the Women’s Will County Bar Association is hoping to have a food truck parked outside the courthouse on a weekly basis during the month of October, as a fund-raiser.

Regis said if the downtown food truck concept works out, the city of Joliet will probably try to offer several local businesses a chance to participate in the program.

Based on Tuesday's reaction, La Loma was a huge hit.

Joliet Patch ordered two of the steak tacos and one pork taco. The tacos were fresh and outstanding. No wonder why courthouse employees, lawyers, construction workers who are building the new Will County Courthouse across the street and visitors to the current courthouse were flocking to the white truck parked along Jefferson Street.