New food truck destination, and possibly much more, opens in downtown Olympia
A new food truck destination opened last month in downtown Olympia. Three trucks are there now, a fourth is on its way and there’s already talk of more expansion.
That’s according to property owner Joe Illing, who has welcomed the trucks to a parcel at Fourth Avenue West and Water Street. He also has christened the endeavor as the Cap’n Budd’s Truck Stop.
The purpose, he said about his creation, is to enliven downtown.
“Downtown deserves it and all those people living downtown deserve it,” he said, adding that there is a “center of gravity” developing near or on the city’s isthmus as more apartments rise from the ground. Among them: Views on Fifth.
The three trucks on his site now serve the following food: Mexican, Mediterranean and what Illing described as East Indian fusion. The fourth truck will bring Italian food to the site, he said.
But he isn’t stopping there. He also owns a small building on the site that was once used by Procession of the Species, and before them, a small state agency, he said. Illing would like to find an operator who will turn that small structure into the Cap’n Budd’s Pub and Grub.
He envisions a business with a rollup door, so that customers could easily move indoors or outdoors to try the food trucks.
The Olympian first went looking for information about the new food truck spot by calling city of Olympia economic development director, Mike Reid.
Not only is Illing looking to expand on the current parcel, he also is planning to meet with the city next month about expanding across the street where a restaurant called Little Da Nang used to be, Reid said. Illing confirmed those plans.
The food trucks are open for lunch and dinner, Illing said.
In the works
The Thurston County Food Bank and representatives of Camp Solomon Schechter are exploring new projects for their organizations, according to city of Tumwater information.
The food bank is looking to build a 5,000-square-foot pre-engineered warehouse to add to an existing facility in Tumwater on Mottman Road Southwest.
Camp Solomon, a Jewish summer camp on Lake Stampfer, is exploring the following: creating a new beach to extend a zip-line tour across the lake, and expanding a beach with the addition of a floating dock for boating and swimming.
Both groups were set to meet with Tumwater officials on Thursday.
Other business happenings
Olympia-based nonprofit Cascadia Research Collective, perhaps best known for its work studying area whales, has won a federal contract for $116,902 from the U.S. Navy, according to Targeted News Service, which tracks federal government news.
If you know of a retailer, restaurant, coffee shop or other business that is opening, closing, expanding, remodeling, or changing its focus, send an email to reporter Rolf Boone at rboone@theolympian.com.
This story was originally published December 3, 2021 at 5:45 AM.
