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It's All So Yummy Adds Hot Dog Cart

By Knoxville Daily Sun Staff

kim wilcox hot dog stand
Kim Wilcox serves hot dogs at her new cart

Most people know Kim Wilcox for her catering and her incredible custom desserts Lately, she has been trying her hand at the food vending business. It's more of an expansion to her existing business than a substitute or a break.

Always utilizing creative marketing strategies, Kim got the word out by putting her fliers in hotdog buns and passing them out to existing customers. It worked. While she already had a top shelf name in the business community, the marketing strategy got people talking and the phone started ringing.

Harley Davidson, who's constantly holding special events, has called Kim and her vending cart back a few times and the customers are loving it.

Recently, I caught up with Wilcox while Harley on Lovell Rd was holding an event to honor the local US Veterans. There she was working away for lines of bikers, veterans and veteran families.

We spoke mostly about the vending business and how the Knoxville laws are set a little different than most cities. Most people think a vender simply obtains the proper licensing, drives to their preferred location and sets up shop. However, in 1982 (since the world's fair) the city and county officials made it illegal unless special event permission is obtained.

Nonetheless, Kim is often invited to private events which are currently keeping her and her daughters quite busy. The event coordinators love it because it removes the added pressure of providing the food and beverages. It also keeps the people at the event longer and takes the pressure off the customer to make another trip/stop for lunch or dinner.

Kim herself loves it because she's a "people person" and loves to be out in the public. "Most of the events are a lot of fun and you get to meet all sorts of new and interesting people" Wilcox says while serving yet another hungry veteran.

While I munched on a hotdog Wilcox finally get a break from the customers and turned to me. "The catering and desert business can be streaky with the bulk of business coming during the holidays. I'm covering all my bases and keeping my daughters busy too," she says.

For most of her life Wilcox worked in the television industry. I looked at her nod and said, "So, you're not going back to any office to sit behind a desk, huh?" We both agreed that she was never the type of person to do that and there was that proud Wilcox smile. "No," she said, "I'm never, ever going back to that! This is who I am." As we spoke, a customer had walked up to the cart. Overhearing the conversation he explained, with his own smile, who he was: a hungry, US Veteran, Harley Rider.

In the list of "Knoxville movers and shakers" Kim Wilcox is right up there with the best of them. She never seems to rest and, as usual, she keeps right on working to put a smile on the faces of our community. For more information, visit www.itsallsoyummy.com.

Published June 13, 2011

 


     
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