Having lived in New York for 32 years, non-food sidewalk vending had its uses: cheap [[1 time use) umbrellas for sudden rainy days; cheap gloves, scarves, and hats for cold days; cheap & illegal [[and sometimes badly made) DVD's and CD's of just released movies/albums. Basically, an industry for customers who forgot stuff at home or wanted cheap entertainment. I don't think these kinds of vendors could really survive in Detroit because there just isn't as much "foot traffic" - that's why the "Eastern Market Bridge/Overpass" folks are located at a spot where there's a little more foot traffic for the Gratiot Meat Market. How many gloves is a guy going to sell at Michigan Ave/Woodward to keep himself afloat?

Where vending could really benefit the community [[and themselves) is in diversified food vending. You could buy ANYTHING off a food cart in New York City [[pizza; middle eastern food; soup; tacos; sausages & peppers etc etc) - and those vendors keep a clean cart because: A) people give them 1 try and if they food sucks, they're outta business; B) they're competing with 2-3 other food carts nearby. True, food vendors would cause lower business in "brick & mortar" luncheon food establishments, but that's competition for you... provide a product people want at a price they're happy with and you should do well...

The question always comes down to "foot traffic" and convenience. The food business for the CBD is basically a lunch crowd... can you pull people off their asses and out of their office buildings to walk a few blocks to go to a food vendor they like? The few food vendors I've seen downtown sell hotdogs [[tube-steaks; gutter-dogs...) but if you diversified the offerings: like how Russell Street Deli sells their delicious soups from a stand at Eastern Market... then interest in Food Vending would go up.

I'd love to see a few carts rolling in from Mexicantown restaurants for lunchtime. Established "brick & mortar" shops in Hamtramck and Mexicantown providing food [[and advertising for their stores) off of CBD food carts could work nicely...

Just a thought.