If you've traveled along Farmington Avenue in Hartford's West End recently, you've probably noticed some changes with the longtime-vacant lot next-door to Burger King. After sitting empty for many years, this parcel of land has recently been the site of extensive activity.
Creative New Attraction
The lot that I'm referring to sits on Farmington Avenue between Girard Avenue and Kenyon Street. A new facility named West Side Square Food Trucks and Marketplace is slated to open there sometime this summer.
The entire lot is framed with numerous recycled windows and doors, and there are plenty of handmade, wooden tables, where visitors will be able to sit and enjoy foods from a range of food trucks.
A married couple named Quan and Rebeca Quach are the creators of West Side Square Food Trucks and Marketplace. The park is slated to host several different food trucks daily, with a range of cuisines represented.
Being a longtime West End resident, I remember when the lot next to Burger King was the home of a Shell gas station. For years, I bought cigarettes and lottery tickets there, and often utilized their air pumps to fill my different Triumph motorcycle tires.
For many years, a family style Farm Shop restaurant occupied the space next to the lot, where Ichiban restaurant now exists. To this day, Farm Shop restaurants rank in my culinary memory as one of the very best restaurant chains.
Former Neighbor
Farm Shop restaurants used to call hamburgers "Abigails," and cheeseburgers there were named "Blonde Abigails." As I recall, the burgers were served in cellophane-lined plastic baskets that also contained a large amount of French fries. If I'm not mistaken, cole slaw was an optional side with the Abigails.
Farm Shop restaurants were somewhat similar to Friendly's eateries, and in the 1980s, Friendly's purchased the Farm Shop chain. I'm unsure of when the Farm Shop chain stopped operating, but it's definitely missed.
Moving Forward
As for the present, the West Side Square Food Trucks and Marketplace is really coming together. A couple of days ago, I stopped at Burger King, and I walked next-door to survey the progress being made. The area has been cleaned-up, and the surface appears to be graded. A large assortment of wooden outdoor dining tables are scattered throughout, and the venue seems like it would great for hosting community and/or entertainment events.
It's great to see a positive addition to the Farmington Avenue corridor. I wonder if any of the trucks are going to serve tacos? Or, how about Italian sausage and peppers?
Better yet, how about having a truck that serves plant-based versions of the afore-mentioned items?
No matter what types of foods are being served, it's good to see the spark of excitement that the opening of a new neighborhood attraction in Hartford can bring.
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