Dave Pulford, President of Maryland Mobile Food Vending Association, attracted to flexibility of deli operation with limited opening hours, as well as access to full-service food commissary
Entrepreneur Dave Pulford, as the owner and operator of food trucks Upslidedown Dave and The Sultan, has grown accustomed to the nomadic experiences that are typical in this niche market and was looking to establish a brick and mortar location that offered a touch of permanence and consistency. At the same time, he didn’t want to be burdened with the responsibility and expense of running a full-time, seven days per week, restaurant operation. The current president of the Maryland Mobile Food Vending Association secured the best of both worlds with his new venture, Midtown Deli, positioned on the ground floor ofPadonia Centre, located at 30 E. Padonia Road in the Timonium section of Baltimore County. The owner and manager of the building is Hill Management Services, Inc.
“This deli represents the perfect opportunity on a number of levels,” explained Pulford who, after spending more than thirty years in the mortgage industry, switched careers to his life-long passion and hobby. “We will be able to place our feet on solid ground while servicing a consistent consumer base and experimenting with different menu items that best suits the marketplace. With a full-service commissary at our disposal, we will also be able to prepare meals suitable for our food truck operation,” he added.
Pulford indicates that he will “lean on proven favorites offered on a daily basis at Upslidedown Dave,” while working in new menu items until he captures the perfect menu offering. This includes a complete array of hamburgers and sandwiches -- such as Chicken Salad, Buffalo Chicken and Caprese --- as well as an assortment of fresh salads. The deli, which will be open from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm, is expected to be operational this month. In the future, Pulford intends to offer breakfast items and, possibly down the road, also sell prepared dinner entrées for employees to take home after work.
“This opens many possibilities for us and we intend to take full advantage of these opportunities to fine tune our menu selection,” said Pulford, who started his career selling food service supplies while also investing nearly two years working as a personal chef in people’s homes.”
Food truck UpslidedownDave, which is currently licensed to serve food in Howard County and Baltimore City, joins Gypsy Queen and Samantha’s Kitchen as additional concepts that made the successful transformation from food truck to restaurant.
Padonia Centre is a five-story, nearly 40,000 square foot commercial office building located one block from York Road and directly adjacent to Interstate 83 and Interstate 695. It is within walking distance to a diversity of restaurants and retail shopping options, as well as the Padonia stop on the Baltimore Light Rail station, which provides connections to downtown Baltimore City. The building also features ahair salon.
“This is all about great food and the ability to service the employees working in and around Padonia Centre as well as living in the adjacent community,” explained Danielle Beyrodt, Vice President for Hill Management. “We have attracted a seasoned restauranteur and businessman to manage the deli, and he will bring passion and creativity to this enterprise. People place a premium on the ability to access food that offer high-quality and high value. With two successful food trucks, Pulford has demonstrated his ability to provide both and we are extremely familiar with his work. This will be a significant amenity to Padonia Centre. ”
Founded in 1976, Hill Management Services, Inc. is a privately-owned, full-service real estate development company. Located in Timonium, Maryland, Hill Management owns more than fourmillion square feet of office, industrial and retail space as well as several hotel and self-storage facilities. Hill Management Services seeks to provide long-term investments, exceptional customer service, and develop long-lasting tenant-landlord relationships. For more information visit www.hillmgt.com.
