Interview with Carlos Muela Owner of SOMA Streat Food Park

Carlos Muela, the owner of SOMA Streat Food Park, welcomed me in a long sleeve flannel shirt, jeans, and converses. After saying our hellos he escorted me to the indoor seating area of the park. As we sat underneath the strung up lights, hanging from the tall wood bolted ceiling, I began to pick his brain on his dreams and inspirations for his Food Truck Park.

Carmen Marcel: So how exactly does SOMA Streat Food Park work?

Carlos Muela: We are a permanent food truck park that work with over 90 food trucks and street food vendors. Everyday there are different vendors for lunch and dinner, 7 days a week. Each truck rents a space like a farmers market, which is based on a schedule. We try not to have similar trucks in the same day.

Carmen Marcel: How is your business set up? Do you work with a group or by yourself?

Carlos Muela: I have four people I work with in the office. Its not just scheduling trucks, we do a lot of events here and outside catering. We send a lot of food trucks out to events all over the bay area. We are kind of a food truck broker.

Carmen Marcel: How did you get the concept for your business?

Carlos Muela: When this whole idea of food trucks started popping up a couple of years ago, we saw that there were a lot of people interested in food truck cuisine and there were so many food trucks out there, but they only came out once in a while for a farmers market or a festival, but it wasn’t enough for them to survive so we thought that there should be a place for them to do business 7 days a week.

Carmen Marcel: What is the future of SOMA Streat Food?

Carlos Muela: Continue making it fresh; continue getting good food trucks here. What I have been expanding on is catering and events. Just making this place a fun place to come to and a place to remember.

After I turned off my recorder, I told Carlos why I, a fashion student chose to interview a food truck owner. I told him that I thought that his concept would be great for fashion pop-up shops. Carlos then told me that he too had the same idea and was even considering doing it with a space that he already owned, but he wasn’t sure if it would was a good idea. After a lengthy discussion I was able to convince him, so don’t be surprised to see a fashion park by Carlos Muela in the near future.