STOCKTON, Calif. — Something is cooking behind the gates at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds — at least inside Bryan Collins’s grilled cheese food truck, Oozey B's.
"We serve some classic just cheese," said Collins, describing his menu of more than 11 items. "We have meat and cheese as well. We have a meat and cheese sandwich with shaved ribeye, roasted peppers and onions."
Those dishes will combine with food and drinks from 15 other trucks starting Saturday as Stockton's first food truck park, Stocklandia, re-opens at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds.
"We have Italian food. We have hibachi. We have Oozie's grilled cheese and soups. We have Mexican food and barbecue. We have fresh handmade tortillas on site," said Stocklandia co-owner Veronica Sicairos. "We're going to have 15 permanent food trucks here. We're going to have the opportunity for guest trucks to come in daily and on weekends... I can't wait to see the lines. I hope the city comes out strong."
Samir Mohiv's family, which owns the dessert food truck Bubble Cone, is excited for the fairground gates to open Saturday at 11 a.m. too.
"Having this truck here in Stockton means a lot for us," said Mohiv. "It's an exciting time. We love the long lines. It can be difficult to keep up with the orders."
Many of the food truck owners spent several hours Friday getting everything ready for the weekend. But for Sicairos and her team, the road to getting the venue open has been a lot longer.
In 2021, after just a year in business on West Lane, Stocklandia closed its doors citing hefty fines from the city's code enforcement and a lengthy back-and-forth between the city on a permit to operate.
That was before the city code allowed for food truck parks. In April, Stockton's City Council passed an ordinance regulating the industry and allowing businesses like Stocklandia to open up.
"What happened in the past, we're going to leave in the past for now," said Sicairos.
Sicairos's focus is on the future, allowing entrepreneurs to show off their talents at a new permanent location.
Food truck owners interested in renting out a space can contact the park's operators through social media. Doors open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
After the grand opening weekend, the park plans to be open every day of the week.
"Sometimes the food trucks are just in random corners, right? So, safety is a priority," said Sicairos adding that food truck owners can leave their trucks parked overnight and underneath lighting. "It's just a big community of families that have their passion in these food trucks."
Some tasty dishes with a side of passion sound like a perfect combo for Mohiv.
"Every human being has to eat, so it's definitely the best way to bring people together," said Mohiv. "The more the merrier, so everyone, tell your families, make sure everyone's here so we can have a good time together."
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