Staff photo

When The Phoenix closed this winter, property owner Zac Wooden told us he was looking for something completely different to fill the building and the large outdoor patio space at 402 W. Dickson Street.

It looks as though he’s halfway there.

Crews have been working since last week to clear the patio space and stage to make room for a new food truck court to be called Shulertown.

The new space will have room for up to seven food trucks, complete with electrical hookups for the trucks and picnic seating for customers.

Wooden says that he’s already received considerable interest from the local food truck community about the idea.

“I’ve have had several calls since your (food truck ordinance story) ran,” he said. “I think we’ve got 3 or 4 commitments already, and we’re looking for a few more.”

The idea, he said, came from just watching the success similar food truck court concepts in other cities, as well as Fayetteville’s Yacht Club on College. He also credited alderman Matthew Petty and his recently passed food truck ordinance as another reason to move forward with the concept.

Wooden said he plans to offer beer and wine to the patrons of the food court in at least some capacity, though he is still unsure if that will be on a semi-permanent basis or just for special events.

The name is a historical nod to the area, he told us.

Shulertown was the nickname for the 400 block of West Dickson Street, named for T. Fred Shuler, a soda jerk at the “Live and Let Live” drugstore on Dickson Street in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

If all goes well, the food court should be open by mid-spring.

Food truck owners interested in setting up shop at Shulertown should contact Wooden at 479-313-9400.