Washburn County Allowing Roadside Bait Shop to Remain Open

WASHBURN COUNTY, Wis (WLAK / WBZH / WHSM) – Washburn County officials say a roadside bait shop will be allowed to remain open after it was shut down due to a zoning controversy.

The Washburn County Zoning Department shut down an area teen’s roadside bait shop earlier this month after a local resident reported that it was in violation of zoning ordinances. No citations or fines were issued to the teen or the property owner at the time.

The decision led to significant pushback from other community members, who praised the teenager for his entrepreneurial spirit and dedication at just 15 years old. County officials sent out a press release amid that community pushback, saying it would hold a special meeting to find a lawful path forward to keep the bait shop open.

In a press release last week, the Washburn County Zoning Committee announced that it would not pursue any enforcement action and allow the teen to reopen the roadside bait shop near Spooner Lake. The committee also announced it would further consider how the state’s Lemonade Stand Law applied to the bait shop and similar operations.

The Lemonade Stand Law allows minors to sell goods other than potentially hazardous food on an occasional basis at a temporary location, as long as they received permission from the property owner to do so. It also prohibits local municipalities from enacting any zoning ordinance or regulation to prohibit such stands from operating or require that the minor running the stand obtain a permit or license.

According to a Northern News Now report, the property where the bait shop stands is owned by the teen’s grandfather. With the zoning issues in the rearview mirror, the teen says he’s now looking to upgrade the bait shop and sell more merchandise like shirts and hats to help pay for college down the line.