As I drove through a neighborhood in Grand River Detroit, I was immediately drawn to a food cart sitting in the driveway of the house on 1861 Bassett Street. With bright pink symbols on a large metal cart, it stood out from the repetition of small houses with perfectly gardened yards. When I returned on a Friday, I got out of my car and was greeted by the smell of fried food, an infectious laugh and a pink wig — all three of which belonged to Marqarette Squires, better known as Sister. The Clean Street Food Truck is her small business and contribution to fighting cancer. In fact, her motto is: “Fry for the Cure.” As a cancer survivor, Sister is truly tenacious — a trait she applies to her business. She works every Friday, moving hastily around her cart, making each order fresh on the spot and letting it live up to its name by keeping it extremely clean. The menu is reminiscent of Southern food, featuring Sister’s famous catfish sandwiches, and my personal favorite: her homemade banana pudding. Sister’s ability to create a community is her most impressive trait. She knows every customer by name. She currently has plans to help her friend Cynthia open a new food cart — Mother-dear’s Gumbo — a few streets away. Even though Basset Street is only a small part of Detroit, Sister’s Clean Street Food Truck embodies the ambition and sense of community that the city offers.
Read the rest of the Issue:
City through the Lens
