By Gene Kansas

Arizona Daily Wildcat

A pin-up board filled with photographs of smiling custom- decorates one side of the Dawg Daze food cart.

Dawg Daze, a vending cart in operation for a little over a year and a half, has made a permanent place for itself outside of the University of ArizonaÕs Harvill Building.

Run by the mother-daughter team of Marchelle Brady and Mikael Hawkins, the cart serves about 400 students each day and has received rave reviews from several UA students and professors.

"It's a great place to eat, the people are courteous and friendly, and you leave with a smile on your face,Ó said Hank Pool, a general business sophomore.

The hot "dawg" stand is one of seven vending carts owned and operated by Brady and her partner, Walter Badger. The team also owns carts on campus serving up EegeeÕs drinks and fountain Coca-Cola.

Dawg Dazze Corporation operates daily on campus, and is one of two vending services contracted through a competitive bid with the UA. Other vending carts on campus are usually privately-owned Ñ operating only on city property under the auspices of the state Department of Health.

The other contracted vending service is ÒCommon Grounds,Ó which serves coffee and food at various campus spots. a

All vending carts are monitored by the health department based on cleanliness, appropriate cooking temperatures and product freshness.

Although unaffiliated with the UA, Dawg Daze Corporation is on-line with campus All Aboard Services, so students can buy items using their identification cards.

Brady and Hawkins both attribute their vending success to their past positions at University Medical Center, where they worked together in the Department of Neurosurgery.

"Working at the hospital made me realize how important patience is and how much people appreciate it when you brighten their day,Ó said Brady.

So, the team left the department to tap into the vending business. And it seems as though the mother-daughter vending team has made some friends along the way.

"Marchelle and Mikael make getting a hot dog a personal experience,Ó said Thomas Holm, an associate political science professor. ÒI can talk to them about my children, my job, and they also give me new taste suggestions for my hot dogs.Ó

Tyler Thomas, a family studies junior, calls the duo Òquite possibly the two nicest ladies on campus.Ó

Mike Low, assistant director of the Student Union, said vending carts serve an important purpose.

"They bring food to the customer who doesnÕt have time to go to a food establishment,Ó he said. Read Next Article