The people who operate food carts near the Vancouver Art Galley say that the month-long Occupy protest is keeping customers away and threatening their futures.
The Mangal Kiss Mideast BBQ cart used to be set up by the art gallery fountain, but was forced to move to the corner of Georgia and Burrard streets after protesters set up tents and settled in for the long haul in October.
Owner Phyllis Cornacchia says business was booming at the old location, but the tent city has changed all that.
"Our customers have been harassed verbally with racist remarks. We've had some of the tent city people urinate in front of our trailer," she told CTV News.
"They've been harassing us for free food."
The city has allowed the cart to change location, but regular customers don't seem to be catching on.
"Our sales have dropped, I would say, more than 50 to 70 per cent," Cornacchia said.
She says that if things don't improve, either she or co-owner Mark Cohen will have to find another the job. They may even have to close up shop.
"I feel mad. We put all this work and effort into this -- all our money we put into this," Cohen said.
The wildly popular Re-Up BBQ stand is also suffering. Michael Kaisaris says the pull-pork sandwich cart's business has dropped by between 60 and 70 per cent because of Occupy Vancouver.
"Our customers just really don't feel comfortable being there. There's a perception that because they're wearing a suit, they don't identify with the 99 per cent," he said.
Kaisaris moved his cart from the art gallery to Robson Street to escape the protest, but his customers haven't followed.
"We're well below our break-evens. We're hoping that our meagre cash reserves we built up during the summer can hold out longer than the Occupation camp," he said.
City lawyers will return to B.C. Supreme Court Wednesday to argue for an injunction allowing officials to clear the encampment out.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Shannon Paterson
