Texas Police Shutdown Girls’ Lemonade Stand As Unlawful “Peddlers”

The police in Overton Texas have scored another victory over neighborhood lemonade stands. We have periodically seen these cases where police swoop down on stands run by kids in one of the oldest traditions of American life. I do not blame the police as much as the City of Overton for failing to have a code that can accommodate such kid lemonade stands or a modicum of discretion afforded to police in the enforcement of city permit regulations. In the meantime, Andria and Zoey Green’s business is closed by order of the city.

A video shows the police questioning the mother and instructing her that a permit is required. When a friend went down to city hall to obtain a permit, the family was told that the city was willing to waive the $150 fee for the city’s Peddler’s Permit but would need to contact the health department for permission to operate the stand. This in turn would require an inspection that must be conducted and a permit must be issued in order to sell anything that must be temperature-regulated to prevent bacterial growth, including lemonade. In case you missed the gist of the story, this is a child’s lemonade stand that would require a variety of adults inspecting, permitting, and approving the operation before they can sell their first cup.

Source: KLTV