The Dapper Dog, the hot dog vendors busted by the cops last month, have found themselves in a befuddling situation since then. The vendors, formerly stationed at Second and Poplar streets, were told that they had to close shop not because of their late hours of operation, but because of the street they were selling on. Food vending of any kind is prohibited on 2nd Street, but in a strange twist, for once, the blame does not fall on the Department of Licenses and Inspections. As The Dapper Dog has tried to get back on its feet and back to their usual spot, they haven’t had any luck dealing with this peculiar restriction on their business.

Back in February of last year, the Dapper Dog guys pitched their idea to a zoning committee and, without any opposition, opened that May. The very next month, an ordinance was passed prohibiting vending on Second St. between Girard and Spring Garden. Within the last few months, more vendors came to Second St., which may have provoked the enforcement of the ordinance that up to that point had been ignored. However, Second Street doesn’t fall on the list of prohibited streets as far as L&I is concerned, and as best we understand it, The Dapper Dog should legally be allowed to vend there. As of now, they have been vending at the old Arbol Cafe with petitions in hand, and Tuesday through Thursday for lunch at 13th and Norris streets.

The Dapper Dog will not likely be back at 2nd and Poplar, but they’ve been trying to come up with a compromise with the NLNA, who are the ones that requested the ordinance in the first place. Public outcry seems to be on the side of the Dog guys though, which is what you’d expect in a neighborhood that’s dominated by one developer and whose neighborhood association, for reasons known only to them, passed a ridiculous ordinance to squash small businesses.