Corktown Pizza to take over Bayfront concession stand

Jillian Fellows, The Petoskey News-Review
·2 min read

PETOSKEY — Guests visiting Bayfront Park, the Petoskey Marina or Ed White Field this summer will see a new vendor in the city’s concession building.

At their meeting on Monday, the Petoskey City Council approved a contract with Corktown Pizza for the Bayfront Park Resource Center concession operation, running from May 27 through Sept. 2.

Kendall Klingelsmith, director of Parks and Recreation, said the city had no bids when they issued a Request for Proposals for a new entity to manage the concession stand. Corktown management later expressed an interest in the concession stand after talking with city officials.

“They are eager for the opportunity to get into the concession stand,” Klingelsmith said. “We had somebody in there since 2018. It was very positive. It’s great for the weekend tournaments. I really think that the park is better when we have options like that. I really like to see our buildings be used, so this puts somebody in that concession stand for the intended purpose.”

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People walk in Petoskey's Bayfront Park near downtown in September 2022.
People walk in Petoskey's Bayfront Park near downtown in September 2022.

According to agenda materials, the terms and conditions of the contract will be the same as the previous vendor, which is a 6 percent gross sales commission back to the city and a $1,000 annual operating fee. The contract will be for two years, with the option to continue. In 2023, the city received $5,960 in revenue from Bayfront Park concession sales.

“I would suspect that Corktown is likely going to meet if not exceed those numbers. It’s an easier product. It’s not a prep kitchen, they can’t make anything there so they will bring it down from the store,” Klingelsmith said. “It’s a need down there. It’s a great service. We have the building for it … I’m happy that somebody stepped up and was willing to look into it.”

Bayfront Park is one of Petoskey’s busiest locations in the summer, with popular pathways, a playground, softball field and marina nearby.

— Contact Jillian Fellows at jfellows@petoskeynews.com.  

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Corktown Pizza to take over Bayfront concession stand