Denver Kids Get Shut down – Country Time to the Rescue
Every once in a while we hear of a story that makes us scratch our heads. The "good ole days" are often talked about because there were some things we considered a right of passage but are sadly now a controversy. For example, setting up a lemonade stand and selling cool refreshing helpings to parched patrons with cash to spend and a thirst to quench. There was more to it than making money: there was the responsibility of running a business, the entrepreneurial spirit and joy of supply & demand, marketing, price points, and just the fun of owning your own business....even if it was for the day. Who could have a problem with that?
This past Memorial Day weekend, Ben (6), William (4), and Jonathan (2) from Denver had their lemonade stand shut down by police because they lacked the proper paperwork. They didn't have a permit. According to the Denver Post, vendors at the Denver Arts Festival located nearby called in the complaint and police had to respond. The boys were selling lemonade, not for themselves, but to raise money for a 5-year-old boy in Indonesia. The bigger issue is the location of the stand which was across the street from their house and on a sidewalk next to a neighborhood park. There are rules against that. From the Denver Post story, "City rules prohibit non-permitted vendors with mobile vending units from being within 300 feet of a city park." So, there's that. The boys mother, Jennifer, was both surprised and shocked at the necessary paperwork for just a lemonade stand.
The family set up a GoFundMe so they can continue to donate to their charity. As of this writing, they have raised $4,358 of their $4,560 goal. Also, Country Time Lemonade has entered the battle on behalf of all the kids lemonade stands across the country with their "Country Time Legal-Ade" program. They are out there to help the kids and their "businesses" by covering fines or permits. Check out this great advertisement.