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Vendor Sparks Debate

It’s 7:40 am, and the Wonder Bread truck has just made a morning delivery of a couple hundred hot dog buns to John and Ethel Geiger’s popular hot dog stand named Crazy Dog. The first customer of the day comes up to order a quick hot dog before class. Students, faculty, and staff stream across the intersection at West First and Warner Streets across from the parking structure, on their way to class and work. John sets out chopped onions and tomatoes, boxes of cookies and chips, readying for another brisk hot dog sales day.

Geiger has acquired more than 2,000 signatures in support of allowing him to stay in his current location. At presstime, there was to be a City Council public hearing Tuesday, April 1, to determine whether the city will cede control of the sidewalk at West First and Ivy Streets to the university.

From the university’s perspective, the issue is the changing nature of that part of campus. Directly adjacent to the sidewalk where Geiger’s hot dog stand is located will be the new $34 million Student Services Center. Construction is slated to begin in 2004 with funds voters approved last fall as part of Proposition 47. The building will include offices of financial aid, advising, psychological counseling, registrar and admissions.

Architectural plans have the office of admissions located in the corner of the building near Geiger’s hot dog stand, which points to the reason the university would like the stand moved. Prospective students and parents will likely first come into campus from the parking structure and walk to the Student Services Center. The West First and Ivy sidewalk will be the new entryway into campus, and the university would like it clear of commercial businesses. Geiger could move his stand to the west side of Ivy, where he once was located, or to another city sidewalk around campus, where other vendors are currently located.

Kathleen McPartland