Meet The Black Tuxedo: The Dock At Inwood's Latest Addition

JOLIET, IL — The Trafton brothers, Rick and Mike, have done it again. They've added another margarita party vehicle on wheels to their fleet at Joliet's The Dock At Inwood. The latest addition is a 2005 Frito-Lay delivery truck now known as The Black Tuxedo.

This becomes their third traveling margarita and food truck. The other two are orange and lime green.

This one is black. That's why it's called The Black Tuxedo.

"It's amazing what they can do with the wraps," Rick Trafton told Joliet Patch during Friday's interview at the D'Arcy Hyundai on West Jefferson Street. "This is great, and we wanted to roll it out before fall to get some more excitement.

"Obviously, it's our third truck."

What prompted The Dock at Inwood to acquire a third margarita delivery truck?

"The demand got pretty high, and we weren't able to fulfill all the requests," Rick Trafton said. "And if things continue to go well, we're not opposed to adding a couple more to the fleet."

Trafton said that Chartered Flight No. 1 and Chartered Flight No. 2 have been used for about 200 events this year. Jose Cuervo also agreed to sponsor The Dock at Inwood's latest acquisition, Rick Trafton said.

"She's going right into commission," Trafton said.

Unlike The Dock at Inwood's other two party trucks, The Black Tuxedo is geared for weddings and more formal events including corporate events and reunions, Trafton said.

The Dock At Inwood's chartered flights have become a regional draw.

The Dock At Inwood has traveled to Downers Grove, Wood Dale and Northbrook and "quite a few in the Mokena and Frankfort area," Trafton said.

The Dock's Chartered Flight margarita trucks provide food and drink packages for private functions including neighborhood block parties.

These days, The Dock offers about 25 different flavors of margaritas "which are handmade and come right off the truck," Trafton said.

The latest margaritas feature some sugar-free options, Trafton said.

December will mark The Dock At Inwood's third anniversary in Joliet. Their bar and restaurant is inside the Joliet Park District's Inwood Athletic Club, 3000 West Jefferson St.

Since the coronavirus pandemic, The Dock has sold almost 160,000 margaritas, Trafton said. The Dock has been recognized as Jose Cuervo's No. 1 tequila buyer "for a bar in northern Illinois." Trafton said.

The Dock also offers $5 lunch specials Monday through Friday. It's open daily from 11 a.m. to about midnight.

"If anybody has any fund-raiser events, we would be happy to partner with them, and we just thank the community for all the support," Trafton said.

If you're interested in renting out one of the Chartered Flights, including The Black Tuxedo, call The Dock At Inwood at 815-545-9166, Trafton said.