City officials, community groups work together to help Minneapolis teen keep his hot dog stand open

(Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

published 23 July 2018

Mr. Faulkner's Old Fashioned Hot Dogs is one of Minneapolis' newest eating destinations — and it's run by a 13-year-old.

Jaequan Faulkner first started selling hot dogs in front of his house two years ago, and decided to try it again this summer so he could make money for new school clothes. Someone called the city's health department and complained about the stand, which did not have a permit, but instead of shutting him down right away, officials worked with Faulkner to get his stand up to code. "They're actually the ones who are helping me," he told KARE. "It makes me feel kind of — not kind of — really proud that people know what I'm doing."

The Minneapolis Health Department, Minneapolis Promise Zone, and Northside Economic Opportunity Network (NEON) are all guiding Faulkner, working with him on everything from pricing to marketing. He now has a tent, hand washing station, and thermometer to check the temperature of his food, plus employees from the health department pooled their money to help him cover the $87 permit. Faulkner is looking forward to growing his business, and loves making people smile. "It puts pride in me to see that I'm doing something good for the community," he told KARE. Catherine Garcia

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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