Hundreds Show Support for Addy’s

Customers line up at Addy’s food truck Tuesday night to get food and to support the family-owned business.

Photo Credit: Jason Cole

By Lee Burnett, Submissions Editor

Business boomed for Addy’s food truck Tuesday, in a show of support for the family thrust into the spotlight by a violent confrontation on Main Street four days earlier.

A TV news crew and people from as far away as Buxton and Gorham joined hundreds of others in the park overlooking Number One Pond. The food ran out by 7:10 pm, almost an hour before closing time, even though owners David and Miranda Poto had doubled the usual inventory, according to Jason Cole, owner of the Kona Ice of York County food truck, who organized the event in cooperation with the Potos.

“It was phenomenal,” said Cole. “The line kept steady the entire time … They compared it to the Fourth of July, which as you know is a big time in Sanford.”

Altogether, Addy’s filled 260 orders, according to Cole. “It was insane just watching them … Even with four of them working over the stove, it was a long night.”

Police are still investigating the confrontation on Main Street in front of the T-Mobile store, where David Poto left his food truck to investigate the commotion caused by a knife-wielding individual accosting cars and pedestrians. During the encounter, the individual was shot in the leg and hospitalized. David Poto is cooperating with police.

Cole was in downtown Sanford getting ready for the parade when he heard the sirens. As soon as he learned what had happened, he reached out to the Potos and “came up with a plan” to support them. Cole said the confrontation was a wakeup call for his own family, who have taken only modest safety precautions to date while working together in the food truck business.

“Our truck has a double locking mechanism, which we never thought we’d need,” he said. Now they are tightening up security measures in many ways.

The Potos gave thanks to all who turned out in their support.

“We sold out this evening, which is a first for us,” according to a statement on their Facebook page. “There were just as many familiar faces as there were new faces. We are deeply humbled. We are incredibly thankful.”