Residents of Oro Valley have something delicious to look forward to – a food truck park is set to make its debut later this year, thanks to the recent approval of a zoning amendment by the Oro Valley Town Council on January 10. The designated area for this culinary hub is expected to be near the Target on North Oracle, conveniently situated just off Pusch View Lane.
Among the pioneers in this upcoming food haven is Fork and Fire, a BBQ food truck turned restaurant co-owned by Jason Bishop. Excitement resonates in his words as he expresses his enthusiasm for the project: "I think it’s a great opportunity, I think it’s a great opportunity for this area." Bishop, along with his brother and another business partner, manages the restaurant located in the Oro Valley Marketplace and also operates Wildfire Wing Company near North Oracle. Although their food truck now primarily hits the road for large events since the restaurant's opening in 2022, Bishop reminisces fondly about the joy of food trucking, calling it "the most fun thing we ever did in the restaurant space." With the prospect of being one of the first culinary options for Oro Valley residents in the new mobile food park, Bishop is thrilled to be part of this exciting venture. He remarks, "A cool experience to, number one, see that get approved. But number two, to kind of be on the ground level of it. Being wanted to be a part of that feels really good."
Ryan Laird, the General Manager of Wow Wow Lemonade, shares Bishop's sentiments. Operating the specialty lemonade franchise with his dad and sister, Laird sees their unique offering of refreshing lemonade as a perfect complement to the diverse range of food trucks in the park. He notes, "We see a lot of people ordering big meals that, for example, Fork and Fire, things like burger places, or like sushi or whatever, and when they order food, they’ll come and get lemonade from us."
The masterminds behind this delectable initiative are Joshua and Majesta Bassett. Eager to kick off construction, they aim to commence the project towards the end of the summer, bringing Oro Valley residents a vibrant and diverse food truck park that promises to be a delightful addition to the local culinary scene.