Video: Street Vendors: A Tough & Expensive Business

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- If you drive on highway 12 in Starkville chances are you’ll see Fatima’s Bears and Candy. Owner Tony Marks says has been a vendor for 13 years. He says selling on the street isn’t easy.

“You have to have a license. You’ve got to be bounded. You have to have a tax ID with the Tupelo tax exempt office out of Jackson. And you have to have permission from the landowners to be on their property to do this,” said Marks.

Getting the license and a cash bond can be pricey.

“It’s a $500 cash bond per location. So, like I have 3 locations, I had to post a $1,500 cash bond and it is refundable after you pay your Mississippi taxes,” said Marks.

In Starkville, Vendors must apply at city hall to legally sell their products.

“We have one application and pretty much you just give us the name of your business and the transit vendor license will only last you for 6 months and that license fee is $100. So basically it will carry you from the month you came in up until your 6 months process ends,” said Kaneshia Hendrix, Accounts Clerk for the City of Starkville.

And if you’re considering selling illegally..don’t.

“Our code enforcement officers..they will actually stop and check to see if you don’t have a license. They drive everyday and it is a fine if you don’t have your transit vendor license. The fine is way more than just paying the $100 transit vendor fee,” said Hendrix.

Fines for vendors selling without a license can cost you up to 500 hundred dollars and 6 months in jail. Despite all the hassle..Marks wouldn’t trade it for a day.

” My wife really enjoys doing this and you know, it’s just something that we do to pass the time and try to make an extra dollar,” said Marks.

The city of Columbus pretty much has the same requirements if vendors want to sell their products.