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Show a Park Record I MIaQnoIkcetl;nDnaQ(E(B Parnassus on Wheels? Tinker's serves up good grub in same mobile tradition I . - y --' -'' 7 ' fM't ri$&- z A rrtfn A- xk. .- . Tinker's red oak wagon was a popular stop for the hordes of people at last weekend's Art Festival. by Randy Hanskat Have you ever read a book called "Parnassus on Wheels" by Christopher Christo-pher Marley? Well, the story is about a couple who travel and sell books from a horse-drawn wagon. It's a wonderful story. As I stumbled about the bottom of Main Street during the Art Festival, greedily searching for some grub, I bumped into a vehicle that looked exactly as I had pictured the wagon in Marley's book. The only differences were the name Tinker's in white letters on a red background and the vending of foodstuffs rather than books. ' Instead of booklined shelves that open outward, this wagon is filled with double burners, a microwave oven, a soft yogurt machine, an J air conditioner and hot and cold running water. J Shakespeare and Poe aren't the main entrees, crepes and bratwurst are. For the hungry there are fruit (apple, blueberry or peach lemon), meat and cheese, vegetarian or seafood crepes (scallops, shrimp and crab in white sauce). If you go for German rather than French, call for a steaming bratwurst or a quarter-pound quarter-pound hotdog. Sweet tooth? Try soft serve yogurt. To wash it all down there is soda, juice or lemonade. The wagon's owner, John Tinker, thinks of the wagon sitting in front of the Timberhaus at the bottom of Main Street in different terms. He said it reminds him of a train car, with its seven-foot width, 12-foot length and eight-foot height. The exterior is red oak, just like many a train car of old. Tinker, who has been part owner of Peek-a-Boo's since early 1982 (he recently sold his interest to Tom Peek), said the wagon originally belonged to Bruce Howard, owner of the Chocolate Factory at the Resort Center. Howard planned on parking the wagon inside Trolley Square, but was instead given a storefront to operate from. No need for the wagon. In stepped Tinker, who bought the wagon, and moved it up to Park City. The Main Street location is locked up until at least Oct. 15, he said. That is the length of the temporary permit issued to him by the city. Tinker's falls between two classes of food business. It is not a sit-down restaurant nor is it a hand-movable food cart. The city has no ordinance dealing with such a contraption. Tinker hopes the city will let him stay where he is or allow him to move into the adjacent parking lot after his permit expires. It is the business' portable nature that both confounds the city and intrigues Tinker. He wants to keep the wagon as mobile as possible. Currently it has a permanent electrical hookup, but he wants to make that extractable so the wagon can go on the road to such events as the Shootout at Jeremy Ranch, the Salt Lake Arts Festival or possibly to do some outdoor catering at large parties. Of course, Tinker's is fine right where it is, too. The hungry can stop by and get an entire meal for between $3 and $4, Tinker says. Tinker wants to serve both locals and tourists, and he thinks the wagon draws both. "Half the town drives by (the location) every day," he said. Tinker's was given its first battle action this past weekend at the Art Festival. Hordes of people attacked, but Tinker and his staff dealt with them valiantly. As a result the bugs were worked out. Now the wagon is open daily. Tinker himself will not be working at the wagon a great deal leaving most of the duties to Jane Mumby and three or four other employees, he said. Hours for the wagon are 1 1 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Tinker said those will soon change to 1 1 a. m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, until midnight Friday and Saturday, and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. |