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Meet the meanest man in New York.
A bitter pretzel vendor put the squeeze yesterday on two kids who set up a lemonade stand near his Fifth Avenue cart.
Roman Md, 27, felt that Max Mortimer, 8, and his 3-year-old brother, Nicolas, were slicing into his business.
So he told a cop they were selling lemonade without a permit.
And the cop ordered the fresh-faced kids to pack up and leave.
It's the pits, and the boys' incredulous baby sitter.
"He asked us to move because the vendor complained. He said it affected his business," she said.
"They're just kids selling lemonade on the street. It's an American tradition."
The seedy tale of "pulp fiction" occurred at about 1 p.m.
Max and Nicholas, who also sold cookies, set up their stand on the Central Park side of Fifth Avenue across from their apartment on 67th Street.
A sign in red marker read, "Lemonade 50 cents."
Max wore a chef's hat.
His brother helped with the change.
At one point, there were a handful of kids buying lemonade.
After that, business was more sporadic.
Nevertheless, it brought a sour taste to Md, who also sells soda and ice cream from his cart about 20 feet away.
He went across the street to the police booth in front of the Yugoslav mission and complained.
A cop, shrugging to indicate his hands were tied, told the kids to move.
So they packed up their cooler, their cookies and their table and downheartedly trudged across the street to their home.
Md, a Bangladeshi immigrant who's been a vendor for five years, said he had seen the kids selling lemonade on four previous occasions.
"I was telling them to move down a little so it didn't affect business," Md said. "I told the lady, 'If you're selling stuff over here, it's a problem for me. Can you move or go in the park?'"
"If they stayed, I would lose business - more than $200," he claimed. "They sell a lot of drink and a lot of food." "I
told the police, 'I like kids, too, but if they're selling over there, people will buy from them.'"
Md said he can take in from $100 to $2,000 a day, depending on the weather.
"It's a hard job," he said.
Jane Rudolph, a spokeswoman for the Parks Department, which licenses vendors on both sides of Fifth Avenue along Central Park, said there had been no complaints about the kids.
"No one's reported it to us. So I can't comment on it," she said. "I haven't got any complaints from the vendors."
As Milton Friedman said...Every businessman supports the free market, except when it comes to him.
Uh oh. Another american business gone under because of the government.
Somebody tell Willie Green.
Dont't you also have to pay a very high price to run a cab in New York. Along with lic. fees and zoneing we do not have very much free enterpize any mor in this country.
The answer is for the kids to get a license or to abolish the licensing fees for all vendors. I am all for the latter, but we both know that will never happen.
I'm certain the licensing process ensures protection for those already licensed. If this guy doesn't like competiton, maybe he should go to North Korea or Belarus.
Mia you bastard.....
Heh, heh....take a photo holding a "Mia Lawrence Wannabe" sign that has an arrow pointing at this guy.
Md? What kind of name is Md? Is it pronounced mud? med? mid?
"If they stayed, I would lose business - more than $200," he claimed.
Max and baby brother were that big of business men?
Jeez . . . these kids are old enough to know that they should either give the vendor a piece of their action, or a little grease to the cops.
The boys could hire a "consultant" to "advise" Mr. Md to look the other way when the boys are conducting business.
I think Rocko and Vito are available for a small fee.
I wonder how much of that $100-$2000 a day Mr. Md is declaring to the IRS?
Were you born a moron, or did you just work at becoming one real hard?
The man is running a business with which he supports his family and pays his bills. The city makes him pay for the privilege of selling his pretzels and beverages. All he has is his little spot on the corner THAT HE PAID FOR.
This is no different than if the kids set up their lemonade stand on a McDonald's parking lot. Or maybe you think that's just fair competition as well?
I'll bet the closest you've ever been to Belarus is that time you went to Epcot.
As Milton Friedman said...Every businessman supports the free market, except when it comes to him.
Once upon a time, on a vacation to Europe, while in Frankfurt, I saw a deli with its lights on and people inside working, but their business was closed. Disappointed I continued along. On my way back later I noticed they were open. I went in and asked why they were closed earlier. Surprisingly I was told that their permit allowed them to be open for only so many hours, because otherwise they would be in competition with another business on the same street!
Our nation saw the results of the libertarian model of no regulations on business 100 years ago, when people got sick of eating poisoned foods. While regulations can be stifling and detrimental to the community, so can the dearth of them in a free market free-for-all of stall-cluttered sidewalks and unscrupulous bottom line businessmen.
Have you kicked your dog today?
I see you're not all that fond of Lemonade.
Though I agree some regulations are necessary, I don't think this country has ever suffered ill effects from lemonade stands run by children.
Taking the view of the vendor, portable fruit stands near supermarkets should not be allowed as well, since they take business away from them. Maybe a regulation can be made that no one can cook hot dogs in their own homes because this guy has invested in a hot dog stand and he may lose business...
Maybe a regulation can be made that no one can cook hot dogs in their own homes because this guy has
invested in a hot dog stand and he may lose business...
Don't laugh.
I see it coming "to protect the children" from burns on home cooking ranges, from eating ill-prepared food, from improper food storage and from improper or harmfull home preparation of unhealthy foods - like hamburgers full of dangerous fat.
Maybe "they'll" let you make coffee and tea and have a refrigerator for keeping fruit and drinks cold, but much beyond that you will have to hire the services of professional nutritionists and food preparers OR you will have to pass certification as one in order to buy kitchen equipment and prepare food at home.
No?
Just review in your mind all the other things that we used to be able to do at home without a permit.
You know, this is crazy. MD has forgotten all about the children....perhaps he can be given a food stall in the UN which is not far away.
These kids happen to live in one of the most expensive parts of one of the most expensive cities in the world. I wonder how much their parents make (not to mention the babysitter. Moreover, how much are they charging for the food and lemonade? Is it anywhere near what the cost of these items is? Sounds like some spoiled rich kids playing. Why are people on this board so quick to bash the immigrant? He's following the licensing rules, agree with them or not. I for one do not envy him his job.
Md ought to be deported. Maybe he can get an exclusive corner in Bengla Desh.
Hey, the man's trying to scratch out a living. Can you blame him?
Like those Kids would have put this JERK out of work!
MD GO BACK to the Country that you came here from and stop picking on the AMERICAN way of life you commie pig!!!
If the guy were selling without a permit, would you also have him deported? Would he still be a "commie pig"? Is Bangladesh a communist country? It wasn't the last time I checked. If it turns out that the kids are selling below cost (i.e., at prices subsidized by their parents) without ever intending to realize a profit, would you still consider them capitalists? I could go on, but will leave the name calling to you. Cheers.
I see. So if you were to rent space outside a ballpark selling, say, peanuts for $2 a bag, you would not mind if I sent my two sons over there to sell peanuts for $1 a bag in the same space that you paid for?
You sound like a very kind and generous person. Let me know when you want to do this.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
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