BOONE, N.C. — A new ordinance in the Town of Boone is working to regulate vendors on the street.
By welcoming them to the downtown area and asking everyone to follow a few rules, officials hope to keep Boone’s funky downtown vibe alive.
Jack Hicks, 17, says one year ago, he realized something was missing from downtown Boone.
“I was like, this could be a very good opportunity,” Hicks said.
He started a family business, now called Sunset Slush of the High County. It’s an Italian ice cart on King Street that’s brought quite a buzz. People from all over come to get the cool treat on warm summer days.
“King Street, so many awesome places to shop, you know, so many cool places to visit. This is just one more place to add on the list to schedule,” Hicks said.
He’s one of the many vendors that have slowly made their way downtown recently. That is why Downtown Development Coordinator Lane Moody says they started a new ordinance.
“There was an uptick, and so, there is also sometimes when it can be problematic for safety,” Moody said.
The town didn’t want to kick vendors out, they wanted to make sure it is done safely.
“We were going to move all of our vendors in front of our beautiful downtown post office, we were going to require a permit, and that certain items would be prohibited to avoid the flea market yard sale type of feeling downtown,” Hicks said.
Under the new ordinance, sale of secondhand clothing or furniture is not allowed, but vintage items at least 10 years old are OK. They also say the rules will change for special events, but they aren’t clear on what they will be just yet.
“They are not allowed to cook the food on the sidewalk, so any vendor that has a push cart can’t cook the food at the station. They can reheat precooked food but not cook it,” Moody said.
Hicks says he agrees with the changes and hopes this will make it easier to always get a spot.
“I think it’s going to be a very good thing. I think it’s going to be huge for the vendors here. It think it’s just a great opportunity. It’s really cool,” Hicks said.