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City denies license for well-known Colona BBQ vendor

COLONA, Illinois – After 12 years in business a well-known BBQ vendor won’t be able to sell food off the streets in Colona anymore. Joe Duncan runs ...

COLONA, Illinois - After 12 years in business a well-known BBQ vendor won't be able to sell food off the streets in Colona anymore.

Joe Duncan runs Lazy Dog BarBQ, but he doesn't work out of a restaurant. He cooks out of the smoker pulled by his truck that he parks outside of a garage. Duncan operates his business six months out of the year.

"This is my life, really is. I enjoy getting up in the morning," said Duncan.

Duncan held a business license from the city of Colona for 12 years, but this year he's been denied.

"It`s hard for me to describe how angry I am," said Duncan.

The city says Duncan has been getting an unfair advantage for too long.

Just ask Gary Schmooke at Smokey's County Diner.

"It's just not fair to the people who put money into a building and pay taxes and everything else and he don`t have to do that," said Schmooke.

Schmooke  says moved his restaurant out of Colona to East Moline because of Lazy Dog BarBQ.

"My wife and I talked and we decided to just get out of Colona if that`s the way they want to be," said Schmooke.

City alderman Rich Holman agrees with Schmooke, saying that's a big reason why he voted against Lazy Dog's license, "I'm 100 percent for competition but competition on an equal level and I don`t feel it`s an equal level."

Duncan considers himself, a food vendor, along the lines of a food truck, but the city says he belongs in a permanent location.

"He's been here for several years doing the same thing it`s time to open a business it`s time to do a storefront," said Holman.

Duncan says his business is good for Colona and hopes this won't be his last meal, "I don`t understand it, I really don`t."

The city says it's more than willing to sit down with Duncan to work out an agreement that works for everyone.

 

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