Invasion of Privacy: Grayson Hawkins; the man behind the cart
Photo courtesy of Grayson Hawkins
Grayson Hawkins serves countless happy customers over the weekends and has quickly become a Geneseo staple.
Grayson Hawkins is the bright new star of Geneseo’s famed Orchard Street. Stationed between two frats sits his small but mighty food cart, iconically known as “Gman Hots.” It is there where he feeds the hordes of tired college students looking to feast on anything they can get their hands on.
Started only in April of 2024, GMans Hots has quickly become an iconic part of nightlife here at Suny Geneseo. Though many know little about the man behind the cart and how it came to be, it is run by 21-year-old Grayson Hawkins, a Rochester local. The idea stemmed from Hawkin’s experience in West Virginia when he saw a man running a similar cart out around parties on campus. He states that the lead-up to starting his own business was not overnight. After dropping out of college and returning to Rochester, he began visiting friends here at Geneseo to pass the time and catch up. During this time, it struck him—the crowds around Orchard felt like the perfect place to start a cart of his own.
Hawkins said he used around eighty percent of his savings to get the stand-up and running last spring and has not looked back since. Run primarily by him, with the help of his parents and friends, he brings the cart out every Friday and Saturday night without fail. His work day starts as early as 3:00 p.m. when he begins the shopping, stocking, prep, and organizing for his night. From there, he arrives at Orchard around 9:30 p.m. and begins to set up and precook food to ensure a fast and easy customer experience. He is open by 11:30 p.m. and closed around 3:00 a.m., where he begins the laborious cleanup. After all is said and done for the day, Hawkins can rest around 7:00 a.m.. When asked how he endures such a long day, he stated that these two days are typically the only ones he works; knowing that he only has to make it through the weekend motivates him to finish strong.
Surprisingly, it is not the long shifts that are the most grueling parts of running Gman Hots. Hawkins says the worst part is when people take advantage of him by stealing. In one instance, a ketchup bottle was stolen, and in many others, people ran off with food without paying. While understanding a wild night out, he begs that people respect his business. Dealing with dozens of college students is no easy feat, but despite all the hard work, Hawkins states that he feels rewarded for his work. In his eyes, feeding and caring for Geneseo is a pleasure. Having people tell him they love the food and appreciate the cart’s presence outweighs the long hours and occasional theft.
His parents have continually played an important role in the cart’s success, inspiring Hawkins from a young age to work hard. Even now, as his father works two jobs, he still finds the time to come out to Geneseo and help as much as possible. At the start of the business, Hawkins stated the support from others was minimal, except from his parents, who continually pushed him to take risks and follow his dreams. He expressed that one of the best things to come out of the cart is the time it has given him, with his parents saying, “When you get older you don't really see your family, but like me and my dad can do this together.” This time Hawkins has with his father pushes him through the rough shifts and brings a warm smile to his face as he expresses how grateful he is for him.
Hawkins advises anyone looking to start a business or take any new step in their life to take the risk and just do it. He expressed that in the beginning, he could count his supporters on one hand, two of those people being his parents and the others being friends who went to Geneseo. He poured the majority of his money into the business, signed a lease in Geneseo, and took the risk. In his eyes, it does not matter how many people believe in you as long as you believe what you are doing has the potential to be good. He urges people to take their leap of faith and commit themselves to their ideas.
Just months into the beginning of his jump, Hawkins believes his courage is being paid off. His dreams continue to grow as he looks into expanding the business as well as diving into other fields. His drive for life and passion are apparent in every risk and move. Hawkins is currently working on potentially purchasing a food truck and better equipment to consistently serve throughout the winter months. Despite not having an extensive background in business or food, his devotion to feeding Geneseo has captured the hearts of many across campus, as they frequently express their gratitude for the late-night meals.
Hawkins can be reached at @gmans.hots on Instagram for any catering or business opportunity inquiries.