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.

[ApesForEvolution]

Um...hello. ???

[Brad’s Gramma]

I agree...indeed I do.

[cigarboxtoblackbox]

Worse are the cops. They act just like the Nazis and the commies. "Oh, I only took orders." Uh huh. It sounds like those cops only have a high school education, and are ethically challenged. An ethical person would have said, "No permit, but she's a little kid, so I'll let it ride." No, now that girl is going to grow up hating government and cops. When are those stupid cops going to learn? Who wants to cooperate with a bunch of bullies?

[nmh]

Sounds like the neighbor was a real life lemon.

[Jhoffa_]

Oh, I know..

And to think, our ignorant teacher thought this was to be a positive lesson on government.

HAH!

[LiteKeeper]

The Grinch who stole Abigail's childhood

[roseygll]

hiaaaa sorry my dad loves this site i'm only 11 years old and i now a lot about democrats and Repoblicans ME as my self am a Repoblican!

[WorkingClassFilth]

Yep. And don't forget that you have to obtain a Social Security number for them within 60 days of birth.

[roseygll]

hiaaaa sorry my dad loves this site i'm only 11 years old and i now a lot about democrats and Repoblicans ME as my self am a Repoblican!

[Navy Patriot]

How bitter and pathetic do you have to be to phone in this complaint?

The city has some responsibility in this as well. They can refuse to take anonymous complaints. If the caller identifies, they can visit him to confirm his complaint. When he does so he has invited a code enforcement officer in and about his domicile and any violations in plain sight are actionable. Cop starts looking around and making it obvious. soon complaint is withdrawn. Whiner wishes he could become invisible.

[Eagle Eye]

Sicking the IRS on little girls and their lemonade stands? This is my government at work?

The American Revolution was based on a tax revolt. It seems that we are now getting retribution in spades.

[Husker24]

Someone ought to take a dump in that neighbors front yard.

[SUSSA]

I’ll bet she was a bureaucrat. You went to a government school. Right?

[Jhoffa_]

Oh yes..

You know it.

[zip]

Doesn't she have the right to face her "accuser"? After all, this is America.

[MinuteGal]

The little girl shoulda sold doughnuts with the lemonade and she'd have been all right.

Leni

[Rennes Templar]

The next thing the neighbor will do is ask the EPA to run an Environmemtal Impact Statement on the effects of customers walking on the public easement grass, which could cause them to shut down for a year or more while the EIS is run.

[henderson field]

These are bureaucrats who need to sign their loyalty oaths and warrant that they are not communists.

[FLAMING DEATH]

Thank heavens that these police resources are used to shut down lemonade pushing thugs and not for something as trivial as say, tracking down murderers, rapists or other violent criminals.

If little girls are allowed to indiscriminately sell lemonade on every street corner without the proper paperwork, then the terrorists have already won.

[Husker24]

All the other neighbors should put up signs saying "it wasnt me"