By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Business brings grub to south side
Centennial Food Truck Night 2
Five food trucks and one food stand fed hungry community members on Thursday evening in the parking lot at 2401 S. Rouse Street. Centennial Liquor Owner Billy Margrave said he hopes to make it a weekly tradition. - photo by Antjea Wolff, Morning Sun Staff

PITTSBURG, Kan. — Centennial Liquor Owner Billy Margrave is inviting food trucks to set up in the parking lot outside of his business on Thursday evenings to fill a gap in the neighborhood. The business held its first food truck night June 11. 

With the closure of Chatters, a restaurant that had been on the southeast side of Pittsburg for more than two decades, Margrave saw a need for more dinner options in that area. Centennial Liquor is in the space directly next to the former Chatters space. 

“We have the space, they have the food and people need to eat,” he said. 

Centennial Food Truck Night
Ann Steward, owner of Sum’na Eat food truck, hands Surgio Ascanio his order during the Centennial Food Truck Night on Thursday at 2401 S. Rouse Street. Sum’na Eat serves “soul food” with items like fried catfish, collard greens, fried okra, goulash and more on the menu. - photo by Antjea Wolff, Morning Sun Staff

For the first Centennial Food Truck Night, five food trucks and one food stand served community members, each offering different types of cuisine. The food trucks were operating from 4 to 9 p.m. at 2401 S. Rouse Street, and Margrave said he hopes to have food trucks every Thursday evening. 

Margrave pointed out that some southside businesses have evening employees, who don’t always have time to drive to the center of the city and grab fast food on breaks. Neighborhood residents may just want a quick, good meal without driving far, he said. 

“With the construction that's going on, the cancer center right here, and with the KBI being built literally 100 yards in the other direction, there's a need for lunch, for dinner options,” he said. 

But the Centennial food trucks drew people from further than just the south side of Pittsburg. One couple said they drove from Frontenac after seeing the event posted on social media. They said they love trying new meals from food trucks. 

Margrave said he also is not charging trucks to set up in the parking lot. 

“I understand that food cost is insanely high right now, grocery prices, inflation, and it's tough,” he said. “So, I'm not trying to add a cost into anything.”

Before purchasing Centennial Liquor, Margrave spent the majority of his career working in restaurants.

“Food is a passion of mine,” he said. “To have good food and have good food around.”

During the event, multiple people told The Morning Sun what a great idea it was and thanked Margrave for organizing it. 

“I'm not after thanks or anything like that,” he told The Morning Sun. “It's just trying to bring food to the south side of town.”

This reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/Localnews.