In 2018, after closing a brick and mortar restaurant in Pāhoa, Le Schumaker discovered that a food truck could be the ideal choice to serve her beloved dishes learned from her mom. Standing outside her iconic, yellow food truck, Le Yellow Sub - an authentic Vietnamese food truck - she prepares for another day of serving. (Kelsey Walling/Big Island Now)

The Beginning of Le Yellow Sub

The following year, Le Schumaker opened the Le Yellow Sub food truck and began offering authentic Vietnamese street food with a local twist. It was parked outside her son's house, bringing a taste of Vietnam to the local community.However, parking issues led to the need for a new location. Her son Aaron Watkins came to the rescue, finding a lot at 213 Kalanianaʻole Street. Situated on the Hilo side of the harbor in front of Kuhio Kalanianʻole Park, this lot seemed perfect for more than one food truck.A more permanent spot allowed Le Yellow Sub to provide a seating area for customers, giving them a more enjoyable dining experience. (Kelsey Walling/Big Island Now)

The Birth of the Food Truck Park

This led to the birth of Hilo's first food truck park, where a diverse range of cuisines thrived together. From Vietnamese food at Le Yellow Sub to coffee from Kona, pizza by the slice, local fusion sandwiches, and organic food grown on the Big Island."When you think about it, every island has a food truck lot, and I wanted to bring that to Hilo," Watkins said. "Guy Fieri actually gave me the idea when he featured my mom and Le Yellow Sub on his show."

Le Yellow Sub's TV Appearance

In 2021, Le Yellow Sub was featured on the Food Network Show, "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," starring the celebrity chef. He tasted the chicken lemongrass banh mi and spring rolls and was impressed by the authenticity of Schumaker's cooking."The food truck allows more creativity, and I can use locally grown produce instead of traditional ingredients," Schumaker said. The banh mi at Le Yellow Sub is made with traditional ingredients and locally grown produce and herbs from her garden. (Kelsey Walling/Big Island Now)When the show segment brought in a lot of customers, Watkins knew he had to make the food truck lot a reality. He started by purchasing his own and developing Hilo Ice Coffee.

The Growth of the Food Truck Lot

While learning the coffee business, Watkins made the food truck lot more appealing to other businesses. He visited other food trucks to see if they were interested in a more permanent location.Aaron Watkins now owns and manages the lot that is home to five food trucks and a bike rental off Kalanianaʻole Street in Hilo. (Kelsey Walling/Big Island Now)"I really wanted to bring diverse food trucks to this space for the community," Watkins said. "It took longer than expected, but seeing the vision come to life was exciting."Le Yellow Sub, Hilo Ice Coffee, A & K Fratellis, Duck Fat, Island Organic Cuisine, and a bike rental shop now occupy the lot.

The Coexistence of Food Trucks

Steven Modeer, who owns A & K Fratellis, serves freshly made pizza by the slice or as whole pies every day. He was the first to join Schumaker and Watkins in the food truck park."It's been great having more people here. More people passing by notice us and are more likely to come by," Modeer said. "We also respect each other and won't step on each other's toes. For example, Duck Fat wouldn't start making flatbread without communicating with us."Although they don't share menu items, they help each other and share food and ingredients."I ran out of basil the other day, and Le just gave me a bundle from her garden," Modeer said. "Everyone is welcoming, and it's nice to see people working hard to make a living."After almost two years of serving at inconsistent locations, Duck Fat finally found a home in March at the food truck park.Kawai Saniatan, the head chef at Duck Fat, said, "We really like this location. We save two hours a day by not having to detach and attach the truck. It's been 100% better. We can stay open longer and get more regulars and after-school traffic."Duck Fat has also formed a community with the other food truck owners and enjoys cooking good food together.From left, A & K Fratellis Pizza, Le Yellow Sub, Hilo Ice Coffee, Organic Island Cuisine, and Duck Fat make a row of five food trucks on the lot. (Kelsey Walling/Big Island Now)Watkins said the small businesses understand each other because "we're all just doing what we can to survive and hopefully grow. Food trucks are accessible for small businesses and won't disappear anytime soon."Hours:Le Yellow Sub is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.Hilo Ice Coffee is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day.A & K Fratellis Pizza is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day.Duck Fat is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.Organic Island Cuisine is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.