In the summer of 2006, we started selling snacks from our little boat in the harbor of Nantucket. We called our business Happy Time Snacks. A few days later, we were shut down by the Nantucket Health Department for not having paid to have our operation inspected. At $1 a snack, we couldn't afford the permit. We closed Happy Time Snacks officially on July 9th, just three days after we sold our first soda.

Despite our initial dissapointment, our experience ended on a high note. We donated the unsold snacks to the sailors at US Coast Guard Station Brant Point, who were glad to be treated to the sodas and candy.

While we could do little to defend ourselves against the determined Health Department, we learned that we were hardly the first kids to be stifled by Nantucket's over-regulation. As the town cracks down on lemonade stands around the island, we hope to gather support for young entrepreneurs and backyard businesses.

Please explore our website and read our story, and let us know how you feel about the closure of Happy Time Snacks. Check back soon, there is more to come.

Enjoy, and we hope you have a happy time.