It’s not uncommon for people to sell stuff from their homes in working class communities; every little bit helps to make ends meet. And I don’t mean ebay either, though I bet that computer route is getting popular too. Often it’s food items, sold mostly via a mobile setup (ala eloteros, tamaleros, etc) or from a makeshift outdoor kitchen that hangs the open sign during the evening dinner rush. I’ve known of places where you can knock on the door and ask for a plate of something, and the lady would get to cooking. But since these sorts of kitchens are probably illegal, they were kept kinda quiet, advertising being done by word of mouth. But I guess things are really getting rough: in Lincoln Heights, Jose the pupusa vendor put up a sign with his phone and Apt. number so you can purchase some of his $1.50 Salvadoran treats. “Savado y Domingo Solamente.”
When you don’t have a trust fund to fall back on, parents that can pay your rent or front you the money for a house, an inheritance that’s just a heartbeat away, the right connections, or the various forms of plan B middle class people crazily assume everyone has, then you learn to be resourceful. Hats off to Jose and his knock-on-my-door pupusa solution, a self-bailout plan that we can all emulate!
The number of wandering tamale vendors in my neighborhood has hit a record high – everyone’s trying to make some extra dough right now.
That seems a bit on the high side… but then again it’s been a while since I ate at a pupuserÃa (El Zunzal). I remember seeing ads for pupusa parties in the local freebie magazines (El Clasificado & El Aviso) next to the jumpers and taquiza parties.
I’ve seen a few new taqueros pop in my neighborhood with their makeshift carritos with all the lights blocking the sidewalk and in some instances, the patrons parked in the red zone of the bus stop. Very chaotic, I guess they must be that good, or very cheap.