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A family-owned mobile food business that has served the Richmond community for two decades is seeking city council intervention after being forced to relocate due to new regulations that restrict the size of vendor carts on sidewalks.
Estephanie Sanchez, representing Super Churros, told the Richmond City Council that her family’s trailer was forced to move from its longtime sidewalk location because it measures 6 feet by 10 feet. The city’s new sidewalk vending ordinance allows only carts 6 feet by 5 feet or smaller on sidewalks.
The food truck has been stationed at the same location without complaints from police or the community, according to family members who addressed the council in both English and Spanish.
Eric Sanchez, speaking through his daughter, who translated, said that a city employee recently told the family to cease operations and move their trailer due to the permit issue. The family described the interaction as "aggressive" and "unprofessional."
“The whole root of the issue, and why the trailer is not on the sidewalk right now, is because this is a new rule from 2024,” Estephanie Sanchez explained in an interview with Grandview. “We’re arguing because of only a five feet difference, just because the trailer is five feet bigger.”
Family business built by hand
The business began as a small cart two decades ago, but when the family grew with the birth of Estephanie’s younger sister in 2010, her father decided to expand.
“My dad said, ‘You know what? We’re going to make this our family business, our main source of income,’” Sanchez said. “My dad created the trailer by hand, all by himself.”
The handmade trailer has been operating with proper permits from the same location since 2011, according to the family. They emphasize they have maintained all required licenses, health permits, and inspections throughout their operation.
“We have everything that’s required to operate,” Sanchez said. “We’re licensed. We’ve been in business for so long, so we know how it works. We know how the guidelines, the requirements, and inspections work.”
Confrontation with a city contractor
The family says trouble began when a representative from a third-party contractor hired by the city, identified as 4 Leaf, approached the business.
In October 2024, the Richmond City Council approved a $150,000 contract with 4 Leaf, Inc. to support enforcement of the city’s Sidewalk Vendor Ordinance.
On the agenda: Richmond ramps up downtown, equity, and vendor enforcement
Richmond’s City Council is set for an action-packed October 22 meeting. On the docket: revitalizing Downtown Richmond through a Main Street Initiative presentation, strengthening racial equity with a dedicated Race Equity Action Plan update, and enforcing sidewalk vendor rules with a $500,000 contract. Council members will also decide whether to rename a local park and hear from mosquito control experts on Tuesday, October 22.
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“This lady, she showed up today as well, and thankfully, I was there. She was being very unprofessional. She never had a badge on her. She didn’t show her identity, so she just looked like an ordinary civilian, and out of the blue, she told my parents to pack up and leave,” Sanchez said.
The situation has compelled Sanchez, who graduated from Richmond High School last year and now attends Contra Costa College full-time, to take on the role of both security and translator for her Spanish-speaking parents.
“I much prefer being with my parents and being where they need me rather than getting a call saying, ‘Hey, I don’t know what they’re saying. They’re being aggressive, they’re being mean to us,’” she said.
The Richmond City Council unanimously agreed to move forward with its vendor ordinance in June 2024, following an increase in complaints from residents regarding vendors lacking proper health permits and blocking streets and sidewalks.
Under the regulations, vendors are not allowed in locations that don’t provide at least a four-foot clear path of travel and must comply with Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines to ensure people can safely maneuver on sidewalks.
The city also developed a mobile vendor plaza on Macdonald Avenue to alleviate the hardship the new ordinance creates for vendors. However, the Sanchez family has declined this option.
“We all agreed that we don’t want to proceed on that route,” Sanchez said. “We never got notified about this new law, or before this law was ever created, and the city never considered us in the conversation.”
Community support
The family emphasizes their deep community ties and spotless record with local authorities. “We have all our permits, we have our license, we have no record with the police, so we have a clean slate. Good reviews, good Yelp reviews, good Google reviews, everything,” Sanchez said.
The business serves customers from across the region, with patrons traveling from Walnut Creek to Concord, Los Angeles, San Mateo, and Sacramento, according to Sanchez. They operate six days a week from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., closing only on Mondays.
“We’ve been really well-known for the past 20 years. We’re friends with the firefighters and police departments from both San Pablo and Richmond. We also do a lot of community events, such as Cinco de Mayo or quinceañeras or just anything event-wise,” Sanchez said. “So we built a huge reputation and a huge career, and we deserve to get at least our spot back.”
Several community members spoke in support of the business during the council meeting. Vincent, a resident, criticized what he called “harassment” by a city representative and questioned the size requirement.
“If you’ve seen this trailer, it is already too small for two people to work in,” Vincent said. “A four-foot smaller trailer would be a huge investment for the business and would be unsafe.”
@itss.estefanyyy Super Churros has been in the hearts of Richmond CA for over 20 years! Please share and support were anyone can! @Super_Churros #richmondca #foodtrailer #churros #bayarea #familybusiness ♬ original sound - estefany
“Our goal is to get the trailer back to its original spot that has been operating for the last 13 years,” Sanchez said, referring to the corner of Andrade and 23rd Street next to the former Fuhrman Printing building.
The family argues that the sidewalk space is ample and that their longtime presence without complaints should warrant consideration for an exception to the size requirements.
“As you can see, the sidewalk is so huge,” Sanchez said. “This is where my parents give us food. This is where we pay rent. This is where everything is provided as a family. We deserve to be where we always have been.”
City officials did not respond to requests for comment. This story will be updated with any response.
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