Support Local Vendor ‘Umbrella Fellas’ After Theft

Umbrella Fellas is a local food pop-up vendor that has been serving up delicious hot dogs, burgers & more to the Houston community since 2016. You may have caught us after a late night in downtown, going to see a show at a local venue, or at one of your favorite bars. Throughout our time in operation we have had the opportunity to meet and connect with so many wonderful people. It is this community that has sustained us throughout the many challenges that have come our way as a small business with big dreams.

Our most recent goal has been to repair the food cart that was damaged when it got hit by a car during an outdoor market, injuring the operator and UF founder, Chito. After over a year of dealing with lawyers, insurance, and physical therapy, we finally received a small settlement at the beginning of this year. Like most businesses, we were severely impacted by the pandemic, and we were fortunate enough to receive a PPP loan this year as well. These funds, along with our other hard-earned sales money, were among the items stolen from us on July 14, 2021. While we were having dinner after work at a Heights-area restaurant that Wednesday evening, someone broke into our truck and stole a very important backpack. The value of what was taken was over $10,000, including the money that was meant to repair the old cart and to pay for the construction of a new one. Also in the backpack was a MacBook Pro, important business documents, and an iPad that was used for our POS system.

We are no strangers to loss, and we know that money and items come and go in this life. We are grateful that no one was hurt and that we can rebuild with the support of our family, friends, and community. While this is a major setback for Umbrella Fellas, it is nothing that cannot be overcome. It hurts to know that the fruits of our labor, our hard work and long nights, was taken from us in an instant - but it has been comforting to see that our community continues to ride for us. If you have ever given us a try, liked a post on our social media, or even just stopped by to say hi, we thank you. Any support you can provide now whether it’s $1 or sharing this fundraiser, we truly appreciate it. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Your support helps to keep us out here #inthesestreets - for our business, our family, and our city.