Neighbor Hellbent On Shutting Down Kid's 'Illegal' Lemonade Stand
When life gives you lemons, stay away from this guy.
Doug Wilkey, 61, is fighting to get authorities to close down the unlicensed lemonade stand of his 12-year-old neighbor, T.J. Guerrero, the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Wilkey, who lives in Dunedin, Florida, has emailed City Hall at least four times, pleading that they force Guerrero to close his business, according to the Times.
Please help me regain my quiet home and neighborhood, wrote Wilkey, who said the stand is causing excessive traffic, trash, illegal parking and noise.
Records obtained by the Times say Wilkey contacted City Hall twice to complain last year, then twice this year to complain the stand was back "AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Deputy Wayne Gross of the Pinellas County Sheriffs office investigated, finding that Guerrero had around 10-30 customers a day, and other neighbors seem to be fine with the situation.
Wilkey however, says hes "very worried about the value of my home, which is why I built in a residential area, not a business area."
The mans complaints may have backfired. After news of the conflict came out, hundreds of customers came to purchase lemonade and cookies from Guerrero, according to Fox 13. Guerrero made more than $600 in two hours.
Supporters of the pre-teen included Dave Eggers, the mayor of Dunedin.
I think it is a great show of entrepreneurship," Eggers told WPTV. "This 12-year-old is setting a great example. I don't know what the other neighbors problem is, but I would like to talk to him to try to figure it out.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/26/tj-guerrero-doug-wilkey-lemonade-stand_n_5716857.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news
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You dang kids, get off my lawn!
He reminds me of our neighbor back in 1963. That man sowed tacks in his yard so that any kid that rode his bike in his yard ruined his tires. Not happy with just sowing his yard with tacks, he also sowed the space between the sidewalk and the street. Occasionally, when he mowed, the tacks would land on the sidewalk.
I had about 4 flat tires on my bike, and I never ever rode in his yard, just on the sidewalk. He had come over to warn me, because I was a nice little girl. (And his sister-in-law was both mine and my mother's first grade teacher). What a crank!
Glad the mayor stuck up for the kid. Some people just want things as they want them and nothing less will do, I guess. He is lucky his house hasn't been egged.
[Perrie flicks Randy in the head]
Mean old man! Did he have any kids?
Yeah, I'm glad that the mayor had this kids back
Should have built in the Crotchety Olde Farts area...
Another remnant of the "Law and Order" Republicans.
STAND YOUR GROUND, Dude! It's Florida.
And "Guerrero" sounds like an illegal name
How's that for profiling, profiling-lovers?
Lefties can do it too.*
* NOTE: In case anyone is not clear on who I am profiling it's the plaintiff.
No, he didn't. Somehow, he seemed to like me-- not much, but I think Miss Smitha would have jerked a knot in him, had he been really mean to me!
Miss Smitha was a wonderful teacher!
Yeah, this was in 1963. Most people didn't seem to feel they had that option.
I think the old man is in on it. He got the kid major publicity and profits through negative advertising. Maybe he's getting 10%.
So spot on. And think about the money wasted on such acts? What are we teaching our children not only about being an entrepreneur but also about how stupid our laws can be.
It seems that common sense has gone down the tubes!
@ Hal,
This was also an issue with why people who knew CPR were afraid to use it on strangers. They were terrified of being sued until the good samaritan laws were enacted.
How bizarre culture have we become?
There you go!
I often prepare food with my turtles roaming the kitchen counters. It adds that certain something.
Miss...
You may be right. Got his 15 min of fame... or infamy.
Just my opinion, of course, but it seems like some people in the U.S. have strange values. . Apparently its perfectly legal to allow 9 year olds to fire Uzis -- but its illegal for them to operate lemonade stands...?
I misunderstand your comment Krish. Are you saying there is something wrong with a kid protecting their lemonade stand with an Uzi?
Salmonella?
As much as I love turtles, I don't want them in my food.
Turtle Soup???
Unless they are also sex workers...
But....but..... Buzz.....
We'd have to kill you!
Ah good one Lar!
Then it's OK!