One of the most popular topics of conversation during the
weekend
’s Taste of Morgan Hill was the absence of Mansmith’s, a popular
barbecue booth based out of San Luis Obispo that drew large lines
of festival-goers hungry for the company’s tri-tip sandwiches.
One of the most popular topics of conversation during the weekend’s Taste of Morgan Hill was the absence of Mansmith’s, a popular barbecue booth based out of San Luis Obispo that drew large lines of festival-goers hungry for the company’s tri-tip sandwiches.
“Everyone’s asking, ‘Where’s Mansmith’s? Why aren’t they here?’” said Becky Ryalls, who was volunteering at the beer and wine ticket sales booth on Sunday. “You have some people who come specifically for their tri-tip. I think if they’re not coming back next year, you’ll have a lot of people who also won’t come back.”
Le Bistro owner Lucia Envejans, who had a booth on the Third Street food court with other local restaurants, said she hadn’t heard any complaints about Mansmith’s absence.
“Nobody has said anything to me,” she said Sunday afternoon. “I don’t mind other people, businesses from out of town. I’m from New York, and I like diversity. However, I think that it’s good for Morgan Hill that the festival has more local businesses. They leave their money here in town. And we have the Trail Dust barbecue, which I’m sure is just as good as Mansmith’s. They (festival-goers) will have to get used to supporting the Trail Dust.”
This year, festival organizers decided to encourage more local participation. The Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors decided that instead of charging a flat booth fee, as in the past, participating food vendors would receive 80 percent of their gross, with the chamber receiving the remaining 20 percent as a participation fee.
“In the past, the festival has had vendors that participate in street fairs all over California and elsewhere,” Chamber Executive Director Dan Ehrler said Monday. “One fellow we had did motorcycle rallies, did one in Sturgis, South Dakota, but this year, our board of directors approved the concept to feature local restaurants and caterers.”
Ehrler said he had personally talked to John Mansmith, of Mansmith’s, about the festival.
“I did talk to him, because of the booth’s popularity and presence, because he has been here so long,” he said. “I talked to him about the new format, about how the booths were going to be arranged. He decided not to participate.”
Some of the festival visitors who come back year after year did not miss Mansmith’s.
“No, I don’t miss it,” Liz Dowles said Sunday. “There are plenty of good restaurants, plenty of choices. I never came just to have Mansmith’s.”
The local restaurants are the ones that should be represented at the festival, said Cindy Peterson.
“I’m glad it’s become a truly Morgan Hill festival,” she said. “I don’t miss Mansmith’s. I’m happy to support our restaurants.”
The Chamber of Commerce board and he, personally, are very appreciative of the vendors that participated this year, said Ehrler.
“This is an investment in our future,” he said. “It was new to us all, and I couldn’t be more grateful. I’ll be meeting with them to go over things, what were their impressions. We’ll look at this again for next year.”
Noreen Bergin, sister of Rosy Bergin, owner of Rosy’s at the beach, said the local flavor of the Taste is a plus.
“You see everyone you know walking around,” she said. “I think it’s great that we do focus on the local people. After all, this is the Taste of Morgan Hill, not the taste of other places.”
