Shop banned from selling certain hot sauces?

heathotsauce

heathotsauce

I saw on facebook today that HotLicks hot sauce is shutting down their store in Old Town SD because the state park has forbidden them from selling certain hot sauces (some blairs, marie sharps, da bomb).

Here is the link: https://hotlickssauces.wordpress.com/2015/06/15/the-state-of-california-is-preventing-hot-sauce-to-be-sold-after-6-years-hot-licks-sauces-will-closing-the-doors-at-the-old-town-san-diego-location/
 
As a fellow hot sauce shop owner, this just seems ludicrous. I assume it has to do with being in a state park, but I really don't get it. I've been selling crazy hot sauce for a few years now, and I haven't had any issues. Plus, some of the sauces the state wouldn't allow them to sell aren't even that hot, like Pain 85%. Seems like they were just going by label or something. 
 
Anyone have any idea what's up with this? 
 
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As a hot sauce store I wouldn't worry about it. This is a very specific situation. They are a park vendor/operating on park land. It may be a full store but parks have different rules. A park is like a mini-city with its own government and sometimes police. You can't just open and close when you want and sell what you want. All vendors have limitations. Looks like they knew this going in. This letter approves their establishment as long as they don't sell the sauces listed. That was 2009. They did not show any later letters (with additional sauces). They cite this letter specifically. If they are really closing because they can't sell those specific sauces, then why did they open when they knew they couldn't sell them? Looks to me like they tried their best for 6 years and are now casting blame on the city for bad business.
 
Best of luck to them. I'm sure they can find a new location.
 
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Right, the fact that it is a state park is a key point here. And they clearly knew that going in. The weird thing to me is that I went to that very store 3 years ago, and they had some of those sauces for sale, and I even tried a sample of a 1 mil+ SHU sauce without any trouble. Maybe they thought they could get away with disobeying that letter, and only 6 years later they were found out. But yea, they already have 2 or 3 other locations, they'll be fine. 
 
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Strange. If they had those sauces they are openly admitting they were in violation all these years. I guess they sold a lot of them, and got to slide for 6 years. However if they were being forced out I would think there would be a more recent letter.
 
Oh well. Yeah, nothing for you to worry about unless you want to open in that park. ;)
 
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HotLicks store.JPG
 
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No doubt.

The city that I live in banned smoking on public sidewalks. One walking out of the movie theater my friend lit a cigarette and a cop pulled over and issued him a ticket. I believe it was $70. Now I'm as anti-cigarette smoking as anyone, but I also believe that you have the freedom to smoke if you choose to smoke when you're outdoors.

For that matter, I believe bars should be empowered to decide if they want to be a smoking or non-smoking establishment.

I was shocked and stunned by the law in my city. Very comparable to what's going on with hot licks in San Diego
 
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for the bar smoking thing, I kinda agree with you.  Not all establishments have to be everything to everyone.  That would be like requiring a Tea House to serve espresso. There are enough drinking establishments, so if one wants to allow smoking, the customer has to weigh the choices of - are my friends going to want to come with me to the smoky bar, or will I have to NotSmoke to hang with them at the Non-smoking bar?
 
But then the smoking bar gets a good pool league going, and non-smokers wanna play cuz they have cool prizes and schtuff....:rolleyes:
 
 
 
I still don't understand how a State Park can dictate what can be sold at one of their concession stores.  Does the Park store sell Float Tubes or Rafts that can be pulled behind a motor boat?  That has more inherent danger than hot sauce. 
 
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Lucky Dog Hot Sauce said:
 
Not like they force the non-smokers to light up when they come in. ;)
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yep, but then the non-smokers want to have a play at the "game" and think they should by making the smoking bar accomodate their non-smoking habits. 
 
I'm playing Devil's advocate here spouting support for a smoking establishment when I am a total non-smoker.  But if there was an option for a bar to be a "SMOKERS" bar, I'm fine with that and can choose to go there or not. 
 
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Lucky Dog Hot Sauce said:
No doubt.

The city that I live in banned smoking on public sidewalks. One walking out of the movie theater my friend lit a cigarette and a cop pulled over and issued him a ticket. I believe it was $70. Now I'm as anti-cigarette smoking as anyone, but I also believe that you have the freedom to smoke if you choose to smoke when you're outdoors.

 
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Just addressing the part highlighted, I think the issue becomes a problem when an individuals right imposes on another's right. For example by smoking on a public sidewalk just outside of the theater the smoking forces non smokers to inhale second hand smoke and what about their right to not have to inhale toxic smoke? Then whose right should supersede the others?
 
I have been in similar situations at times where walking behind someone who is smoking and the smoke seems to choke me, its not very fun nor fair. Plus it smells bad lol. I am not suggested that an individual not have the right to smoke just it should be done either in a private setting where only other individuals who chose to be around it can be.
 
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