After months of planning, Fort Worth's first food truck park will set to open Friday night.
The electricity is on, the bathrooms are operational, and all the park just north of Montgomery Plaza and West Seventh Street needs are tables, trucks and customers.
Tables will be set up by Friday afternoon, as will the six food trucks that will spend time at the Fort Worth Food Park.
"We expect a great, great turnout," park owner Chris Kruger said.
Kruger's small slice of land on Weisenberger Street has come a long way since August, when the city approved multiple food trucks operating at the site.
Gone are the beer bottles, pile of concrete and busted fence, replaced with new grass, gravel, a deck and more to come.
"We kind of wanted to leave space for the crowds to come in," Kruger said.
He plans to put in a sandbox for children and a horseshoe pit, as well.
The Good Karma Kitchen, a newer entry to the world of food trucks, will be among those taking up a space at the park.
It planned on opening a truck for the last two years and has a good feeling about Kruger's venture and new venue.
"This has a really nice modern, elegant feel to it, and I like the urban quality to it," said Megan Tophan, co-owner of Good Karma Kitchen.
That urban quality comes from the location -- certainly off the beaten path, in an industrial neighborhood several blocks away from other restaurants, retail shops and a handful of other food trucks.
But Kruger and his tenants said they aren't concerned about it.
"We consider ourselves a destination spot where people are going to come here -- a lot of them are going to drive here," Kruger said.
"You know, I think once people realize it's here, it won't be an issue," Tophan said. "Just like anything, you've got to get the word out."
"It's not something you just happen across," said Christina MacMicken, also of the Good Karma Kitchen, which offers vegetarian and gluten-free foods. "This is a place where families come to have fun, enjoy themselves and try so many kinds of foods."
The steady growth in development both south and north of West Seventh Street is another reason why the location doesn't concern those involved.
While it is a drive for most to get to the park, it won't be forever.
"We're a little bit ahead of the curve as far as walking distance from those areas," Kruger said. "We think in the next couple of years, development is going to keep coming this way."
He said that several bicyclists have said they'll certainly stop by.
Development around the park might still be a few years away, but Kruger said many of his industrial neighbors look forward to having some added traffic.
However, most of the time, the park will operate will be when the industries are off the clock. The park will mostly operate on the weekends for now, although Krug may expand the days of operation to six once spring rolls in.
Friday night's grand opening features Rahr & Sons Brewery, along with six food trucks. Rain is in the forecast, but tents will be brought in to make sure the night isn't ruined.
The park will operate Friday through Sunday, serving lunch and dinner and, starting next week, will also offer dinner on Thursday nights.
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