It is safe to say that the food truck boom of the past several years has made its way to the Cumberland County area, with lots of successful and well-known food trucks and more arriving on the scene regularly. While it’s easy to stumble upon one set up in a parking lot here and there, food truck hubs are becoming more popular, both for the businesses and the patrons. The latest option for such a location is The Hive in Hope Mills, located at 3414 Bullard Street. Open seven days a week, The Hive offers a family-friendly environment for food, drinks, and fun. But every first and third Saturday, The Hive also hosts the Mercantile Market.
The Mercantile Market at the Hive is a relatively new event that Operations Coordinator Lisbeth Anne Marin hopes will quickly become a “community destination” for food, outdoor fun and shopping. There is space at The Hive for up to 20 vendors and up to 15 food trucks, providing several options for customers to peruse, explore and find new favorites.
While the food trucks rotate and can change from week to week, one constant is Big T’s Grill and Ice Cream, a Hope Mills institution whose original location is in the concession stand at Hope Mills Lake. On Mercantile Market mornings, Big T’s offers a breakfast menu from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., with stick-to-your-ribs breakfast sandwiches and other fare off the grill. While other breakfast food truck options could be added in the future, Big T’s has plenty of options for early shoppers…