Portland lemonade stand runs into health inspectors, needs $120 license to operate

[The Northerner]

It's hardly unusual to hear small-business owners gripe about licensing requirements or complain that heavy-handed regulations are driving them into the red.

So when Multnomah County shut down an enterprise last week for operating without a license, you might just sigh and say, there they go again.

Except this entrepreneur was a 7-year-old named Julie Murphy. Her business was a lemonade stand at the Last Thursday monthly art fair in Northeast Portland. The government regulation she violated? Failing to get a $120 temporary restaurant license.

Turns out that kids' lemonade stands -- those constants of summertime -- are supposed to get a permit in Oregon, particularly at big events that happen to be patrolled regularly by county health inspectors.

"I understand the reason behind what they're doing and it's a neighborhood event, and they're trying to generate revenue," said Jon Kawaguchi, environmental health supervisor for the Multnomah County Health Department. "But we still need to put the public's health first."

Julie had become enamored of the idea of having a stand after watching an episode of cartoon pig Olivia running one, said her mother, Maria Fife. The two live in Oregon City, but Fife knew her daughter would get few customers if she set up her stand at home.

Read more: http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/08/portland_lemonade_stand_runs_i.html

[Mika]

1. There should be no gov't regulations.

Let the market rule.

If people get sick from fecal coliform tainted lemonade then they won't be return customers.

That's how the "free market" works.


:sarcasm:

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[EC]

2. For art fairs and such

don't the organizers contract food and beverage suppliers? I think someone should have told the little girl she was there illegally and sent her home instead of fining her.

[nosmokes]

3. This is about Mom, not gov't regs.

A seven YO's lemonade stand is supposed to be set up in the front yard and not at an event organized by someone else.

FCOL what is the problem w/ some people.

[RufusTFirefly]

10. +1. Right on target. Thanks for keeping things sane. n/t

[SheilaT]

4. I'm with those pointing out

that the lemonade stand at the art fair is real different from one in front of the house.

My younger son used to do a lemonade stand out front when he was about that age. He did landslide business, too, because it was a nice, middle-class suburban neighborhood. I finally made him reimburse me for the cost of the lemonade and the cups. Trust me, he was selling enough to do so.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[gratuitous]

7. This has gotta be some rogue computer program

Besides the hilarious misspellings and general ranting incoherency (does anybody else miss Bob Boudelang right about now?), the juxtaposition between "how much the press is trying to divide our community," with the name-calling and general vitriol directed toward about nine-tenths of humanity makes me think this is some "poutrage" program designed to mimic and mock folks like our friend with the "Get a Brain Morans!" sign.

[LanternWaste]

8. Edited: S/He's s been TS'ed

Edited: S/He's s been TS'ed.

[gratuitous]

9. A shame, isn't it?

I copied the original post, though. I may have to save it for later use . . . :evilgrin:

[Poll_Blind]

6. I agree with Multnomah County. n/t

PB

[REP]

11. Mom thought she'd get out of the fee by using her kid's age