With some still snow covered streets, and plenty of partially covered streets and sidewalks, it is taking a few days to get back to business as usual in Baltimore City.
"Coming out downtown into the city to vend has been and still is currently a gamble. It's a big gamble," Drew Pumphrey, First Vice President of Maryland Mobile Food Vending Association and Owner of Smoking Swine food truck, said.
The challenge is unique for business owners who need a parking space to do business. It has been up to five days off the streets for some food truck owners who have been pushed out of their typical spots because of the snow.
Pumphrey stressed the major impact losing just a few days can have.
"We don't have a paycheck. We have customers and we have the uncertainty of everyday going out and when you take that ability away at all, that can severely impact you. A week off the road for some people would mean that they would have to close their truck permanently," he told ABC2.
The intersection of Baltimore and Charles street is the normal spot for Slainte food truck on a Wednesday. They did not see the typical crowd but things did pick up around lunch time.
"I think it's great they're still able to get out there. Obviously access is an issue but a lot of people are back at work today so it's definitely good to have fresh food options," Ed Elder, who works downtown, said.
Slainte was not the only food truck back out for the first time since before the storm. Andre Chitikov and Robert Raber co-own the Kommie Pig food truck. They parked right behind Slainte, but their normal Wednesday spot is near MICA.
"Rob went out there this morning, he couldn't park so we just had to look for something, we got lucky here," Chitikov said.
"If we didn't go out, I would go stir crazy because this is our livelihood. It's not like we're doing this part time so if we don't go out and make money, the bills don't get paid," Raber added.
The two usually work everyday and said it was hard doing nothing for almost a week. They say they will not focus on recouping losses. They'll just move on.
It seems there is no choice but to when the snow piles on in the already challenging winter season.
"It's a gamble. Even if you can get your spot, it's not a guarantee that any customers are actually going to go out and buy anything," Pumphrey said.
