According to reports, the officers were trying to keep the popular tourist spot "commercial free". 

Rhode Island police officers forced the shut down of a kid's lemonade stand on the Cliff Walk in Newport over the weekend. According to the officers, Newport's Cliff Walk is a commercial-free area. The ordinance in place even prohibits people from receiving tips on free items sold on the Cliff Walk.

The officer was caught on video telling the kid's they couldn't have their stand set-up along the Cliff Walk as a "proactive approach to the ordinance." The children were not charging for their lemonade, but they were accepting donations.

Because we host our own Lemonade Day here on the SouthCoast every, we always want to encourage kids to explore their entrepreneurial spirit. We encourage them to learn how to operate a business with a mentality of saving money, donating, and putting money back into their business. However, we also encourage them to learn some of the 'behind the scenes' magic that happens for businesses - like licensing with their cities, getting investors, and creating a business plan. We hope these kids continue to pursue their lemonade dreams in places that they are permitted to sell a sweet treat!

 

 

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