Some people talk a good clean game. Take Michael James of the Heartland Cafe for example. If you listen to good ole Michael, he'll tell you what a great businessman he is. Everything he does is on the 'Up & Up'. What's this have to do with a food cart vendor in the photo you ask? It's Michael James side gig.
From the looks of things, Michael James is allegedly running a unsanitary food storage distribution network from the back of his home at 1509 West Lunt. That's right, a food cart storage facility right there in Mr. James old, five car garage.
And some storage facility he offers his vendors. The garage door is so old and rotted, the wood door has big gaping holes for easy rodent access. From the evidence I've been able to uncover, there are a two dozen or more, half full - gallon jugs of liquid syrup and sticky unwashed dispensing cups all over the place. The Michael Jame Food Storage Company LLC uses all their cramped space, even storing sticky syrup on the oily old concrete garage floor.
This is so unsanitary, it's unbelievable. This is so unhealthy, it's enough to make you puke. And it's got to be illegal. Where are the food service and health inspectors? Not to mention the building inspection team.
Come on, what kind of operation is Michael James running? This isn't your 'run of the mill' five car garage he's renting it out to a old lady with a Chevy. This is someone who is selling this food to the public, for people to eat. That's what Michael Jame's claims he does for a living. Food Service. He, of all people, should know better.
Let's finish the sad, sad story with a even stranger ending. If I didn't see it for myself, I would've never believed this. Here's how the James Food Distribution Network LLC transports their raggedy carts to various street corners. They lasso a rope around the bumper hitch and giddy-up down the street. Now, for sure, that's gotta-be illegal.
26 comments:
Every time I see the Heartland's dumpsters, they are spilling over.
The place has a dirty, moldy odor to it and the food is poor.
I've seen many eateries shut down totally over far fewer sanitation problems than this place has.
A GOOD ONE CRAIG
JUST SHOWS THE POWER OF ROTTEN GOOSE LIVER-
Ewww.
further confirmation that the Heartland is not all it is purported to be.
I never eat anything off of those food cart vendors. It's always unsure whether they are properly licensed, and if the food, the cart or the vendors are clean. I under stand people have to make a living or have a side hustle, but endangering the general public? Not a good idea.
I think you should change the name from "Food Storage Hauling System" to "Food Storage Intermodal Logistics Center of Excellence"
Great job, Craig. Now maybe people will understand why we "pick on" Michael James. (I hope that I'm not being to divisive!)
Mannis at RPB covers the sickness from the food carts here.
And here.
Before I read this, I never had any idea that Heartland or its owners had anything to do with the grotty little food carts.
Lovely thougt for the day:
For years, whenever I see the mango guys slapping that mayo on that mango, I say to myself, gee hes out all day, just where does he go to the bathroom?Oh yeah.... the alley.
Ok, so where does he wash is hands, oh yeah.. hes wipes his hands on the back of his jeans.
I know they are only doing their job, but I'lll stick with the ice cream vendors and newspaper guys.
i second Ewww!!
A number of the cart staff have sanitation certificates from training that they are supposed to take with the City. As far as the standards, the photos show that activity is being undertaken in a garage. Before we jump to conclusions, did anyone bother to look at the City ordinances?
There is a market for fast food and the carts serve a purpose. The challenge is making sure that they are in compliance. Rather than throw the book at Heartland's owner, why doesn't someone read it, first.
Clean carts make good sense and encouraging residents to make a living through this entrepreneurial effort is a good thing, when done right.
Better just to call 311, and let health inspectors decide whether or not Michael Jame's garage and food carts are in compliance. Not to mention the Heartland itself, which never seemed totally up to snuff in the sanitation dept, on the few occasions I ate there.
Joe Moore Protection in return for Joe Moore Suport ... What do you think?
RPBooster (retired)
Shocking, Katy Hogan made a point to run into me today. Tomorrow I'll have a very important statement from the Heartland Cafe co-owner Katy Hogan regarding her Heartland Cafe co-owner Michael James.
one thing that bothers me about chicago is the lack of adequate public bathrooms. whether it is food cart vendors, homeless people, or just commuters after a long train ride, i think it is just plain barbaric that there are so few public bathrooms. there should be one in every train station, at the very least. if it weren't for mc donalds, just how bad would this city smell?
The shortage of public restrooms is a symptom of the breakdown in civility since this country went frantically suburban in the 50s and 50s.
In that era, the cities were still civil places that had things like that allover, but in the 60s, civility deteriorated steeply as the cities emptied out, and public restrooms became dangerous places that were mainly places to shoot up drugs and waylay people. Even pay restrooms were awful.
These days, even middle class people behave like pigs in public spaces, when they think no one is looking. Look at any women's restroom in a dept store-if it isn't cleaned on an hourly basis, it becomes an absolute garbage dump within an hour. I never ceased to be shocked at the way middle-class women who should have been raised better behave in public restrooms when they think they're not observed. I once ORDERED some pig to clean the stall behind herself.
When the public starts to behave decently again, then maybe we can have public amenities like this. But right now, given typical behavior, CTA would spend more money securing and cleaning such places than they do running vehicles, because of the way most people treat such spaces.
Craig, grow up, find something WORTH WHILE to complain about.
I don't know, what happened to getting your panties in a bunch about the venue on Morse???
Tired of taking gang banger pictures, WHAT?
Don't you have something better to do than put down a buisness that has been a part of this community for 30 + Years?
Here's something for you, maybe HELP Rogers Park, Rather than bring all of YOUR negativity to the community. Why not try to spend your time in a PRODUCTIVE manner, rather than bash the few businesses that are left in Rogers Park that care about OUR community.
Remember Craig you are a part of this community, as is the Heartland Cafe. Why fight each other when we should work together to make our community better for all.
PS Tom, KIss my Grits, you little wuss.
SHORTAGE OF RESTROOMS-
JOMO'S COMON CUP FRIENDS DON'T HAVE A REST ROOM IN THE COMON CUP-
WHERE ARE YOU SUPOSE TO GO-
BACK ALLEY?
PS-DOES THE HEARLAND HAVE RESTROOMS OR IS A BACK ALLEY OPERATION ALSO?
I haven't gotten over to the Common Cup yet, so I don't know about their restrooms, but are you SURE about this?
Doesn't any food service operation that has eat-in facilities HAVE to supply a restroom even if it is just a small one-person washroom?
Of course they have a restroom.
I believe you, Rebecca. I wouldn't be able to believe a nice place like Common Cup would open without one, or be permitted to.
"""The shortage of public restrooms is a symptom of the breakdown in civility since this country went frantically suburban in the 50s and 50s.""
Say what? How did you even get that thought together? Urban plight = less bathrooms, could you share where you get your data to support such a fact.
I would think there weren't any pissers back in the day, and men just whipped it out and did it right on the spot. Hence leading to the discovery of mankinds finest the porta potty named Johnny on the Spot."
badda bing
The Heartland has been crap since it opened and the food has never been any good. Fran and Ivan's, whick opened around the same time, was 10 times better. I think people just wanted the Heartland to be good and sorta' talked themselves into it, as people are apt to do. Too bad. That place is a complete waste of time. I would never take anyone there.
hey i know this lady
she sells stuff by lunt and clark
she seems pretty nice but
i never knew about this
well i alwayz bought stuff
from her but i guess no i shouldn't
she sells elotes all week excepts sunday's
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