From Deseret News archives:

Provo ices a 'stupid' law

Season is extended for shave-ice stands and other vendors

Published: Sunday, March 25, 2007 12:22 a.m. MDT
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PROVO — What do daylight-saving time and shave-ice stands have in common in Provo?

This year, they're arriving earlier and staying longer.

Those temporary shave-ice stands that pop up each summer now can open a month earlier and remain open a month later because the City Council voted Tuesday to change a city ordinance regarded as "stupid" by Mayor Lewis Billings.

The old ordinance, passed years ago, allowed temporary shave-ice stands only from June 1 through Sept. 30. That put a crimp in the fund-raising of teenage entrepreneur Taylor Headman.

So she and others fought City Hall and won what turned out to be an easy but slow victory — it took 10 months to get the shave-ice season changed to May 1 through Oct. 31.

"My mom told me they changed it," she said Wednesday, a day after the council's action. "That's good. I was kind of expecting it. I was a little frustrated at the beginning last year, but when they said they'd let me open it early anyway I was kind of relieved. I never really thought I was making a change in anything."

The ordinance governs all temporary uses, including farmers' markets. They, too, can now open a month earlier, on May 1.

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Billings decided not to enforce the ordinance so Headman could open before June 1 and make some of the $1,100 she raised to go to Guatemala for a school trip.

Headman set up shop on 900 East across from Gold's Gym at about 450 North. She thought she'd capture a lot of business from Brigham Young University students and neighborhood children.

Instead, she said, "It went very horribly."

She made most of her money working for her father's lawn-care business.

This year, the family is building a home, so Headman is too busy for the shave-ice business.

And it is shave ice, not shaved ice or snow cones. A snow cone is made of ice ground into small, or often large, chunks that don't hold the syrup, which pools in the bottom of the paper cone.

Shave ice is shaved off a big block into flakes described as snowy, fluffy or powdery. This softer ice absorbs the syrup and is much easier to eat.

Headman offered more than 100 flavors.

Now she's selling her Snowie machine for $8,000. Anyone interested can call (801) 375-9465, but you better hurry.

Thanks to Headman, Provo's shave-ice season opens in 40 short days.


E-mail: twalch@desnews.com

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