Well folks, the final days of the summer are upon us. It’s my last week of my daily food stand at the Hasbrouck Heights Swim Club. While many of you are already in “back to school” mode, I still have a job to do and I plan on finishing it strong…so I urge you all if you haven’t come by yet to make one final effort to visit our very unique outdoor storefront in Hasbrouck Heights.

It’s been a real different year for me than years past where I’ve gone from place to place with my meatball wagon—this season I’ve only done 5 events (Haworth street fair, Fort Lee street fair, Palisades Amusement Park day, Hasbrouck Heights street fair, St. Rocco’s feast), as opposed to years past where I’ve done dozens. But it was at the Heights Street Fair where I was “discovered” and offered this swim club gig, on that rainy, gloomy May afternoon. Where many others would have packed up early, I was there till the end, dedicated as I am. Had I left early that day I may never had gotten this opportunity. So even though things are winding down, I will still be at the swim club till the end. Will I return in 2014? I’d like to, but nobody knows what the future will hold.

As I said before, Frankie and I are “different,” we aren’t storefront owners, we are traveling feast vendors. So we certainly had some adjustments to make but we always stayed true to what we do. And in a lot of ways, this was our storefront. Taking out the rainouts, I fired up my propane stove and served my specialties for around 50 days between June and now. I’ve sold thousands of meatballs in that timeframe—probably more than I have my previous 4 years in the “streets.” By that token alone, it was a successful venture. Were there other areas where we could have excelled or done better? Sure. But you know what, everything is a learning curve in life, and I have no regrets. This has been an experience that taught me a lot of things about my business overall and about myself as a person.

I’m loyal, I’m old-school, I’m dedicated to success and there’s so much I still want to do as Johnny Meatballs. And whatever comes after next Monday I am prepared for. But I’m not thinking about fall and winter at this moment, instead I’m focused on the next 10 days with the final “send-off,” a huge barbecue on Labor Day.

While it’s a little early to begin reflecting on this venture…that will come sometime in January after the holidays are over and it’s 30 degrees out and we’ll all be wishing for the sticky humidity and yes even those scattered thunder showers to come again…but right now I would like to thank everyone at the swim club for giving me this opportunity. And the one thing that has been truly remarkable is all the great people I met this summer, pool members and the non-members who made a special trip to come see me for lunch. I also wanna thank my wife and family and friends who have pitched in and lent a hand as it’s truly been a “team effort.”

My “regulars” have been great to me and I’ve formed new friendships once again which have come out of the simple act of breaking bread. And when you take away all the other BS I’ve been talking about lately, at the end of the day, that’s why I do what I do and will continue to do what I do. The food and the friendships. Period. That’s why I started this and that’s what will make me continue it. Not for money or fame or glory. To all my local facebook friends and those who traveled from miles away (even out of state) to come visit me for a sandwich (and on occasion for a whole tray of meatballs), I can’t express how amazing that was. Check out my album on facebook of over 250 pictures taken over the past few months. I truly appreciate all the support.

If you’ve visited, please share your experience in the comment section below. And if you haven’t, come on by. Last week to MEAT me in Hasbrouck Heights for the summer of 2013!

THE JOHNNY MEATBALLS DAILY LUNCH STAND IS LOCATED INSIDE THE HASBROUCK HEIGHTS SWIM CLUB ON OLDFIELD AVENUE (NEXT TO THE TOWN FOOTBALL FIELD). IT IS SITUATED OFF ROUTE 17 SOUTH IN HASBROUCK HEIGHTS PAST THE HOLIDAY INN. IF TRAVELING FROM ROUTE 17 SOUTH, TURN RIGHT JUST BEFORE STARBUCKS (OR LEFT JUST AFTER STARBUCKS IF YOU ARE ON THE NORTHBOUND SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.) YOU WILL SEE THE GIANT FIELD AND THE POOL COMPLEX IN THE NEXT PARKING LOT. MY TENT AND MEATBALL CART ARE IN THE FENCED-IN AREA BY THE PICNIC TABLES. MENTION JOHNNY MEATBALLS AT THE FRONT ENTRANCE WHEN VISITING TO BE GRANTED ACCESS