Inside Business
By Scott Bass

Italian sausage entrepreneur John Felico has developed a hankering for Hampton Roads.

Owner of Richmond's growing Dominic's of New York^® chain of sausage and cheese steak kiosks -- Richmonder Felico hopes to double his presence in the Hampton Roads market, starting with two possible vending spots along the boardwalk in Virginia Beach.

Dominic's is competing with several other vendors for the spaces along the beachfront, where five slots are available this year through the Virginia Beach Boardwalk Mobile Food Vending Program. Felico believes he has a good chance of making the cut.

"We're going to build something special for the boardwalk," says Felico, who was a finalist for the 1998 Virginia Entrepreneur of the Year Award. "We are going to custom make it for size restrictions."

Felico is also talking with several Hampton Roads malls about purchasing food court spaces, and is talking with grocery stores about selling his signature smokies uncooked in meat cases, much like the deal Dominic's has with Ukrop's Super Markets.

A big part of the chain's push in the area rides on the boardwalk locations.

"We try to look for unique-type things, opportunities that will enhance the boardwalk," says Rob Hudome, coordinator of the vendor program. "We look at if they are capable or qualified to satisfy that contract."

One of the changes the city is implementing with the program this year, says Hudome, is a quasi-bidding process for the available vending slots. In the past, the 12 slots have sold for a base rate of $2,500 per year on five-year contracts. The city is changing that format this year by asking vending candidates to submit what they would be willing to pay.

The city will determine the winning candidates in the next few weeks, says Hudome.