https://soundcloud.com/exclusivesam/ice-cream-truck-owner-radio-story
HOST INTRO: Around March of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced most businesses to shut down and also brought many complications to ice cream truck owners. The ice cream season typically starts off from March 1st all the way to October 31st. With the pandemic taking over most of the year, these ice cream truck owners were hopeful to even just a late start to the season and not fully miss out on some profits. Financial problems were truly what affected these set of owners throughout the year; one of our reporters Samuel Pereira, was able to speak to one of these ice cream truck owners who has been in the business for more than 15 years, and talk about the problems and the future.
AMBI: Sound of Ice Cream Truck jingle. (FADES DOWN AS TRACK BEGINS)
TRACK: Marcos Pereira, an ice cream truck owner, sits by the Flatiron, on the corner of 23rd st and Broadway. His truck is a mix of red at the bottom and covered with silky white paint, because his truck is not franchised and is considered an independent owner. Alongside the windows, the menu shows everything that is available to buy. Some of those include popsicles: Spiderman, Power Puff Girl, and Spongebob. As well as vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and cookies & cream ice cream; all served with a regular, sugar or waffle cones. A selection of drinks like slushies, water, and all types of sodas. While wearing a simple light blue mask, he stands by the window to wait for customers as they approach to buy something.
ACT: MARCOS: Normalmente, aquí es donde parqueo durante todo el día los sábados y domingos. Yo lo llamo mi “sweet spot”. La razón es que es una zona muy poblada. Si miramos a la derecha, se puede ver la Flatiron, que está siendo reparada, pero mucha gente tiende a tomarse fotos aquí y aumenta la cantidad de clientes que tengo.
TRACK: He mentions Shake Shack across the street, which also drives more people to the area and helps him get customers.
ACT: MARCOS: Me siento exactamente en la esquina para que la gente que camina arriba y abajo de la calle 23 pueda ver el camión y pensar en comprar. Con mi camión siempre pienso en la ubicación, una buena ubicación equivale a más dinero.
TRACK: Mr.Pereira seemed to have a sad look on his face, as he continued to talk about the pandemic that started the downfall of his business.
ACT: MARCOS: No ha sido un gran año para mí ni para el negocio. Debido al coronavirus no pude trabajar todo el año el año pasado, pero no fue porque no pudiera. Fue más una decisión consciente que tomé para mantenerme a mí mismo, a mi familia e incluso a mis clientes a salvo. Esto de la pandemia no es una broma, así que me lo tomé en serio. Aunque me puso en una mala posición financiera.
TRACK: A year later things have started to get better. The City of New York and its officials, has allowed many restaurants to open, most of the people have gone back to work, and children are going back to school. For Mr.Pereira this means the start of his business once again.
ACT: MARCOS: Sí, estoy muy emocionado. Aunque las escuelas no están completamente abiertas, me ofrecen la oportunidad de ganar un poco más de dinero con las ventas de los niños y sus padres. Ha sido duro este último mes de marzo, el clima cambia sin previo aviso y el clima frío como el de hoy no es bueno para los negocios. No vale la pena gastar gasolina, diesel y mercadería para uno o dos clientes por hora, simplemente pierdo dinero en ese momento.
AMBI: Sounds of Mr.Pereira attending customers (FADES DOWN AS TRACK CONTINUES)
TRACK: Children with their parents, nannies and their kids are Mr.Pereira’s main customers. When kids see the truck they tend to always ask and even beg their parents or nannies for some ice cream.
ACT: ANNA: As you can see I am a nanny. I work with a family of two kids and I love them, but whenever we pass by ice cream or toys they always stop me and ask me to get something for them. I typically say no, but when I do say yes, the vendors have to be strictly wearing a mask and gloves. I am not risking the children to be exposed to the virus, my job is to keep them safe and that is what I’m gonna keep doing.
TRACK: And even people who work around the area are his customers and they tend to buy ice cream even on a cold day.
ACT: HENRIQUE: I work in the building behind the truck, in maintenance. Whenever I get on break I like getting ice cream for dessert, and I have become one of his customers. But to answer your question, I don’t really care if someone wears their mask, but its food, you better have a mask and even offer some hand sanitizer, I do not want to catch that virus.
TRACK: It may all seem swell, now that Mr.Pereira’s business is back on track as he hoped. But with being absent for over a year things can change. Competition for ice cream vendors has increased and with Mr.Pereira leaving his stops empty for over a year, other vendors tend to take advantage of that. There is this unwritten rule between ice cream truck owners, of not stepping on one’s “territory”, and just like wolves or other animals mark their territory, Mr.Pereira has had hold of this location for many years, making it his. He even had to confront the other owner of the Softee truck who kept taking the spot.
ACT: MARCOS: Déjame contarte sobre esto. La competencia está en todas partes, especialmente con los propietarios del señor Softee. Y alrededor del área hay como otros tres camiones de helados, y como yo no estuve aquí durante todo un año, alguien decidió estacionar su camión literalmente donde estamos parados. Creo que ese es mi mayor problema, la gente que intenta tomar mis rutas y mis paradas, se lleva a mis clientes y eso no me sienta nada bien.
TRACK: The health department normally has many rules for vendors; some being, wearing gloves, keeping the area where food is handled clean, always wearing a cap or hat and giving out napkins with every order. With COVID-19 the health department has extended its rules, making vendors use hand sanitizer, and wearing a mask at all times when handling food and customers. Mr.Pereira believes having these rules is important.
ACT: MARCOS: Desinfectante de manos, montones de mascarillas y guantes. Como dije antes, necesito mantenerme a mí mismo, a mi familia y a mis clientes seguros, y qué mejor manera que seguir las reglas establecidas. He tenido clientes que se me acercan y me dicen que otros proveedores no están usando sus máscaras, y eso los hace desconfiar al comprar. Entonces, si usar las máscaras y seguir estando seguro, atrae a los clientes, continuaré haciéndolo.
TRACK: With vaccination rates going up and many New Yorkers expecting this upcoming summer to go back to normal, Mr.Pereira is looking forward to more sales, and has a sense of optimism, in this new ice cream season. As he thinks more about his future, he believes that it will not only help him sell more ice cream and make more money, but ultimately make up for the lost time during the pandemic that left him and his family in a financial predicament. For Baruch College, I am Samuel Pereira here in the city.