Will Misery Loves Co. Settle Down in Winooski? It's a Definite Maybe.
We first heard the rumor a few weeks ago: Misery Loves Co., mobile purveyor of calorie-laden delights, might go brick-and-mortar in the Winooski space where Don Pedro's Taqueria used to be. Since MLC's truck, Big Red, is parked behind our offices a few times a week, the next time I ordered a Saltie, I asked the proprietors about it. The question was met with a firm "no."
Flash-forward a few crisp weeks. This morning, a Winooski-ite wrote us to say she had seen white paper over the windows at 46 Main Street (the ex-Don Pedro's) and had wandered over to ask a few guys removing lettering if they were taking over the space.
After acting confused and asking her to repeat herself, one man "kind of alluded to a yes," she writes, then glibly suggested the space's new occupant would be a mash-up of Taco Bell and Long John Silver's.
No saying who those guys were. This afternoon, however, a photo appeared on MLC's Facebook page showing the light-spattered, papered-over windows of the former Don Pedro's. It was swiftly followed by more than 135 likes and comments such as "Best news ever," "OMG!!!!" and "Bad news for our budget."
With a heavy step — I dread asking people the same unwelcome question a second time — I trekked back over to the truck to give it a go.
Co-owner Nat Wade was busy cleaning up, and music was blaring inside the truck, so our conversation developed a "Who's on first?" feel ("Will you be moving to Winooski?" "We already do lunch there on Thursdays." Etc.). But it was friendly enough. Wade said MLC "hopes" to move to the Winooski spot. While the owners also remain committed to Big Red, he noted (slapping the truck's side for emphasis), food trucking could get rough in the winter.
So, in keeping with MLC's here-today-there-tomorrow vibe, that's the diaphanous scoop.