Cops shut down little girl’s lemonade stand

NBC WBBH-TV ^ | June 18, 2003 | Patrick Taney

[MattAMiller]

Gotta get ready for the sale,” said Abagail.

Even though she’s only 6 years old, Abagail prepares for another day at work.

"We like making money at our lemonade stand. We want it to stay cold so they can have cold lemonade on hot days,” she said.

A young entrepreneur who does the cleaning even the advertising. And it is paying off.

"We are making lots of tips in our tip jar,” said Abagail.

But a few days ago, Abagail and her friends were put out of business by a neighbor.

"We didn't have a permit so she called the cops,” said Abagail.

The police arrived and shut her down.

"We had to take down our lemonade stand,” said Abagail.

Abagail did not have a temporary business permit, which is technically a city violation.

"So we had to do something else to play,” said Abagail.

"I was kind of shocked because I didn't know we needed a permit for 6 year old girls to sell lemonade,” said K.C. Shaw, Abagail’s mom.

According to the city, they have to act on a formal complaint.

"Normally we don't get involved in it but once we do get a formal request we must take action,” said Al Hogrefe of the city of Naples.

So Abagail’s mom went to the city code enforcement office with wallet in hand, prepared to buy a permit.

"$35 every single time for a single use,” said Shaw.

Not wanting to be sour, the city played Mr. Niceguy.

"No we did not charge her, no,” said Hogrefe.

They did finally get the permit.

"Basically a blank check to have as many lemonade stands as we can stand,” said Shaw.

So Abagail is back in business and learned laws can be tough, even for a six year old's lemonade stand.

Shaw said the police officers who shut down the stand felt terrible, but they had to do their job. One of the officers even bought a glass of lemonade from Abagail.

[SUSSA]

Or write A-hole un urin on the lawn. This turns the grass brown and you can read it for about 10 days. It's funny.

We used to do this to each other when I was in high school. One summer, it became a real fad. You felt unpopular unless you had something written on your lawn that summer.

[CyberAnt]

Probably somebody who didn't like the extra traffic or noise ... the usual grumpy idiot!!

[Mulder]

The Sovietization of Amerika continues.

How much longer will it be tolerated?

[Husker24]

Maybe someone could get ahold of some "endangered sand flies" and could misplace them on the neighbors front yard, call the Feds and render their property worthless.

[Pompah]

Too much government. Too many friggin rules.
Hang in there Abagail Sweetheart, the times they are A Change'n.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Boy, you can tell the cops in Florida are on the case!

[SUSSA]

I knew it.

If you want to have some fun. Tell a government school teacher that he is a bureaucrat. Most of them will tell you you are wrong. When you pull out the dictionary and show them that they are, they get flustered.

[geopyg]

When I was a kid we made our lemondade stand MOBILE! Put some sticks in the wagon to support a blanket for shade, loaded the cooler with kool-aide and ice and go travelling the neighborhood. We lived on a quiet street. A good idea today to stay once step ahead of the law!

[henderson field]

Not only that but it's a question of priorities. You got your assaults, your rapes, your murders, your robberies and other serious problems. So what is Mr. Policeman spending his scarce time and resources on? Protecting the public against 6-year-old girls and their lemonade stands. There's something akin to fraud in this scenario, no?

[ApesForEvolution]

Well, glad you're here superstar.

Now, if you spot a RAT, come straight to me, OK?

[Mr. Mojo]

Only one of the officers had the courage to buy a lemonade?

Lemonade and doughnuts don't mix too well.

[Old Professer]

You'll change your mind when you get there because you really don't change, everybody else does; of course you can't stand them but that's why we have cops.

[Jhoffa_]

At this point, I wouldn't care if she mounted hellfire rockets on the thing and took down IRS agents and meeanie neighbors at will.

This is just completely ridiculous.

There's no reason for this what-so-ever.

[Pompah]

This is my government at work.?
Yep. Then it"s on to Ruby Ridge,and Waco, And.....

[Joe Hadenuf]

Or write A-hole un urin on the lawn. This turns the grass brown and you can read it for about 10 days. It's funny. We used to do this to each other when I was in high school. One summer, it became a real fad. You felt unpopular unless you had something written on your lawn that summer.

What state are you in? Ah, never mind......Did the girls do this too?

[Jhoffa_]

Yeah, I was equally impressed with their performance in those instances also.

[SUSSA]

The girls didn't do it back in those days. It was the guys. If I remember right, the Football team started it, and it spread from there.

[ApesForEvolution]

LOL! Beware the really warm lemonade.

[scott7278]

Grumpy neighbor ping.

[newwahoo]

So I guess they're supposed to ignore a call from a citizen and not enforce the law? Put the blame where it belongs; on the citizens and politicians who enacted the law and on the guy who made the call. I doubt the cops would have done a thing until the caller forced them to.

You guys are pathetic. Always blaming the cop for the stupidity that citizens put into place.