Lemonade stand draws city’s attention
Autumn wanted a bicycle, so the soon-to-be kindergartner opened a lemonade stand in the driveway of her Porterville home.
Autumn wanted a bicycle, so the soon-to-be kindergartner opened a lemonade stand in the driveway of her Porterville home.
That was back on June 4. She raised enough in one day by selling lemonade for $1, candy for $1 and snacks for 50 cents to get a new bike.
Her mother, Gabby Dehaas was understandably proud and posted about it on Facebook.
“She hosted a lemonade stand and earned all her own money so she could buy a bike all by HERSELF,” Dehaas said on a Facebook. “Glad she is learning hard work and a value of a dollar.”
In October, Dehaas received a letter from the City of Porterville. The envelope included an application to buy a business license to cover the previous stand and to prevent further action for potential future lemonade stands.
On Saturday, Dehaas posted photos of the paperwork on Facebook.
“What kind of world do we live in where kids cant do lemonade stand or any kind of stands for that matter without getting in trouble?!” she said. “How are we expose (sic) to show our kids to work hard for what they want and to expand their ideas/entrepreneurship if they need a license for every little thing!”
Responders to the post could not believe what was happening, saying “wow that is just stupid they did this,” “that’s ridiculous,” and “you have got to be kidding me.”
Dehaas had noted that she was going to attend an upcoming November City Council meeting.
City officials, according to published reports, said someone anonymously reported the lemonade stand and complained.
City Manager John Lollis said the letter should never have been sent.
“It makes the city look bad,” Lollis said. “We want our youth to be engaged and looking at business opportunities.”
Lollis also said children do not need a business licence to sell food or drinks at their pop-up stands.
“We want our youth to be engaged and looking at business opportunities,” he said.
Lollis and City Council Member Cameron Hamilton reportedly went to Dehaas’ home Sunday to apologize.