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How might we restore vibrancy in cities and regions facing economic decline? Read the challenge brief

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Local Economy, buy local, small business

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Mission #1 Explore Vibrancy Find out more...

Mobile Microbusiness

Using low-tech, low-capital mechanisms to enable (very) small businesses adds to the richness of the city and provides an income.
London features a number of mobile businesses particularly centered around food. I've noticed a few food trucks in the East End that serve Mexican, Afro-Caribbean and other fusion foods. This represents a low-tech and low-capital solution for dense and expensive cities like London that empower an entrepreneur to generate an income without needing to invest in premises. 

On my way to Old Street Tube today, I noticed this small vehicle, resembling an auto-rickshaw in India, with an espresso maker and pastries tacked onto a cabinet on the back of the vehicle. This truck is useful because unlike the corporate stores around Old Street that serve coffee (like EAT. or Starbucks), this little coffee rickshaw eliminates the queue, serves coffee cheaper, and most importantly, provides an income to a local resident. The £1.30 for an espresso here goes to a local entrepreneur rather than a large corporate chain, making it much more likely that the money spent will cycle around the local economy, rather than becoming a part of profit and loss for a Wall Street company.

Examples of microbusinesses such as this indicate that residents are able to generate an income by displacing the profits that flow to large corporations, allowing more money to be invested and cycled around in the local economy. This is a particularly important form of vibrancy that can actually lead to further wealth produced in a locality. Check out the attached PDF, "Ten Steps to Save the Cities," by the New Economics Foundation that lay out some academic justification for small businesses like this rickshaw as well as some other amazing ideas.


Mission #1 Explore Vibrancy Find out more...

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Meena Kadri

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November 09, 2011, 08:09PM
Great insight over places like London picking up on urban wisdom from places further afield. Have to admit – I'm a big fan of Mobile Enterprise which I've been researching in India for a while: http://bit.ly/mobile_ent but am also interested in it flourishing in more affluent settings: http://bit.ly/rs_pedal
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Anne-Laure Fayard's reply to Meena Kadri's comment

Anne-Laure Fayard

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November 11, 2011, 03:50PM
Great insight indeed! I remember noticing this in London when I lived there 2 years ago. NY has the famous hotdog and pretzels' stands
but lately I've noticed other small trucks.
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Eric Lilhanand and Bernadette Aguirre Lilhanand's reply to Meena Kadri's comment

Eric Lilhanand and Bernadette Aguirre Lilhanand

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December 03, 2011, 11:40AM
This is definitely an alternative for aspiring business owners to build recognition and capital with more cost efficient operations. Cities like New York are opening up its blocks to more and more large retailers and restaurants, making it increasingly difficult to compete. This has changed the charm that local bodegas bring.
These foodie rickshaws are always something to look forward to. Grabbing a hot dog or dessert unexpectedly while just wandering by is always a treat.
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festus mbuimwe

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November 19, 2011, 01:41PM
Hi Bharath
Thanks for the snapshot of the mobile business.
The media often present London as a sophisticated financial city that has outgrown 'eyesores' such as mobile businesses. Your image proves that small business owners everywhere face a similar set of challenges.
Regards
Festus
Nairobi, Kenya
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Jon Menaster

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November 17, 2011, 01:56AM
Food trucks have been flourishing at cities all across the United States, from LA to NY to SF to DC. I think they're great, but one of the most difficult issues mobile businesses such as these have to overcome is opposition from already-existing brick and mortar restaurants. See: http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/39815/inside-dc-food-truck-wars/full/ for an example of how the fight between restaurants and food trucks can get intense very quickly.

As with any new and disruptive innovation, it can take time for people to adopt and work with them, instead of fight against them. That's just something to keep in mind - it's a great inspiration though!
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Matt Steinfeld's reply to Meena Kadri's comment

Matt Steinfeld

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November 18, 2011, 04:40AM
Sad, but true. A local regulatory structure should incentivize -- not deter -- a network of mobile businesses. These new entrants are gaining a leg up over the typical NYC-style hotdog cart by tapping into social media (allowing them to stay nimble geographically by broadcasting their positions at different times of day) and leveraging mobile payment solutions (allowing for credit/debit card payment using a smartphone).
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