Kicker: Illegal hot dog stand

NICK EICHER, HOST: Business was booming at Mr. Faulkner’s Old Fashioned Hot Dogs in Minneapolis. Now, you need to know Mr. Faulkner is all of 13. Jaequan Faulkner, owner-operator, entrepreneur, all-around conscientious kid. He started the business over the summer to earn a little spending money, selling hot dogs, chips, and sodas from a cart in front of his house.

FAULKNER: Surprised of how many people there is. I’m like wow, I realized how much people enjoyed it.

Then someone complained to the city—because of course someone did.

Turns out, Jaequan was operating without a vendor’s license. And that’s when the health department got involved. 

But not in the way maybe you expect.

City officials didn’t shut him down.

No, they helped him out.

Minneapolis Health Department Supervisor Ryan Krick explained to TV station WCCO:

KRICK: Went through some food safety techniques and procedures with him so he could operate legally and safely.

I love these guys. They didn’t bury Jaequan in red tape. They chipped in to pay his permit fee.

And the Minneapolis Police Department helped out, too. The Department’s Bike Cops for Kids program showed up and passed out free ice cream to everyone who bought a hot dog at Jaequan’s stand.

REICHARD: The government that governs best governs least.

EICHER: As for the complainer—pass the ketchup.

It’s The World and Everything in It.

(Photo/Twin Cities Business)

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