#82 | ASEAN Hive Community Photography Challenge | Business on Wheels | Rolling Stores

Another week, another challenge. This week’s challenge is all about “Business on Wheels”. Those people who are selling their goods in a truck, tricycle, or custom-made vehicle in the streets—we all experience buying from these stores, especially grabbing food for a quick meal, right?

For me, I call them mobile retailers. They are called mobile retailers because of the way they conduct their business, selling their goods, products, and even foods anywhere and any place where there are people.

To start with, I made an extra effort for this contest. I became a one-time explorer, looking for places where I could catch these people. Hahaha! It was a one-of-a-kind experience, and I was really looking forward to finding a rare store on wheels that sells something unique.

I would like to feature this tricycle bike. He is selling fresh fruits, a fruit salad, ice candy, and salt. He manages to do this on a daily basis inside our subdivision, shouting about whatever is available. We love his fruits since they are fresh and the quality is equal to those available in some supermarkets. The price is decent considering that it should be less than the suggested retail price. I wish I could always have a spare amount to support his business and buy from him every day.

Next on the list are this banana cue and this kamote cue. Well, I could not forget this guy, and I would not dare skip his store for not being posted. The reason is that every time my wife and kids went to have a therapy session with my youngest son, who has ASD, this was their quick bite to eat before or after the therapy session. They are freshly cooked, and they are delicious. Despite its simplicity, he actually has a lot of customers. Just a disclaimer: despite how it appears in the picture, the food here is clean and was served hot.

Who could ever forget the ice cream guy? I am sure that all of us have tried dirty ice cream. Despite the name, it is clean and safe. The good thing about this kind of business is that whenever there are people and children, there is a business. I strategically captured this photo inside our city park in front of a church. Imagine the volume of people coming in and out. This is actually very yummy and cheap.

Believe it or not, this photos were captured without their knowledge. As I happened to approach these stores, I tried to discreetly capture a photo and look at the result. Look at those beautiful and innocent smiles. As if they know that I am going to take a picture with them. He is selling boiled peanuts and balut to passengers while waiting for their bus to travel. This is indeed one of those priceless moments that I would definitely want to share.

I believe this deserves an award as the most inspiring and unique Business on Wheels themed photo. It is a coffee shop on a mountain bike, with a mini table and basket attached to hold all the necessary supplies. It is very portable, and I truly appreciate the initiative of this person. Kudos to you, sir!

Here in the Philippines, we call them rolling stores. I really think that this is somewhat appealing for those who are planning to start a business in general. In addition to cost savings, when strategically placed, these stores attract people that you don’t need to spend on advertising. Open the store at your own pace. Some store targets are people working; with that, you could see them active during lunch, breaks, and after office hours. With Business on Wheels, I believe that imagination is the limit. As long as there is a buyer, there is always a business.

To end this post, maybe you could answer my question: Do you want to start your very own rolling store? Please share your answer in the comment section below.