At the beginning of this morning's City Council session, Mayor Adams declared July 18, 2012 to be "Honkin' Huge Burritos Day" in honor of the 20th anniversary of one of Portland's longest-operating food carts.  The Proclamation was drafted by Milena Malone in my office.

Owner Shelly Sorenson (pictured below) is a native Portlander who attended Portland Public Schools, beginning at Chief Joseph Elementary and graduating with honors from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1981. 

As a member of the Columbia River Girl Scouts for ten years, Shelly Sorenson learned the value of setting goals and serving others.  She designed and created a business plan for her first vending cart at age 10.

In 1992, with the help of her mother and father, Shelly comined her passion for nutrition, customer service, and community-building and created Shelly’s Garden, a mobile food unit specializing in salads.  The following year, after expanding its menu since salads didn't sell so well in the rain, 'Shelly's Garden Honkin’ Huge Burritos' found its current home at Pioneer Courthouse Square.  Shelly cooks and sells from this cart, serving Portlanders and visitors from all walks of life, and she has built relationships lasting two decades.

The local food cart industry has grown in recent years, and today comprises more than 450 individual businesses and about 700 carts.

It is with great pride that we congratulate the owner-operator of one of our original food carts, which have transformed the food scene in Portland, on celebrating her 20th anniversary.