CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The owner of the popular food truck Dim and Den Sum says the city of Cleveland will put him out of business soon if it doesn't get legislation approved that will allow him to operate downtown at lunch time.



Chris Hodgson said Friday he has been waiting since last year for the legislation to make its way through bureaucratic channels.

"We probably have about four weeks of operating left if we can't service highly populated lunch places," Hodgson said.

Hodgson, a classically trained chef, has been using social media in recent days to drum up support for his plight. He said fans of his Asian-inspired comfort food have long wondered why he can't operate downtown.

The issue came to a head Thursday, when he illegally parked his truck at East 9th Street and St. Clair Avenue only to have a local business owner bang on the windows, causing one of his employees to spill a pot of hot liquid on himself.

Hodgson said his financial situation is complicated by the fact that he has a second truck on order for a new business that will serve gourmet tacos. He said he hopes to employ as many as 20 people once both trucks are operating.

Dim and Den Sum received a permit from the city last year but is not allowed to park downtown. He said he parked near Public Square on St. Patrick's Day, but was ordered to move. The truck can operate in Tremont, but Hodgson said business there has been hit or miss.



Councilman Joe Cimperman said he is sympathetic to Hodgson's situation, but added that the legislation, which was first introduced in February, must work its way through different council committees. Cimperman said he hoped the legislation would be approved by early May.

The proposed ordinance would create two zones where food trucks can operate downtown -- along East 9th Street and near Cleveland State University. Cimperman said there is dense foot traffic in those areas during lunch time and few restaurants that trucks would compete with.

Hodgson said that once he can establish a spot downtown for lunch, he is confident customers will find him. But the legislation has shortcomings, he said, including a ban on food trucks operating from midnight to 7 a.m. Hodgson would like to set up shop near the Warehouse District to draw business from late-night pub crawlers.

"Midnight to seven a.m. is when everyone is getting out of the bars," Hodgson said. "Instead of driving to Taco Bell, why don't you eat with us?"

Hodgson said he has been talking to Lakewood officials about setting up there to serve late-night crowds.