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Met Museum Cupcake Vendor Has A Hard Time Making $10,000 A Month Rent
By
Carrie Dennis
Published Aug 27, 2012
Modified Aug 27, 2012
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By
Carrie Dennis
Published Aug 27, 2012
Modified Aug 27, 2012
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Unable to continue paying the $10,000 a month rent for the coveted real estate outside of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, organic cupcake vendor Cake & Shake have bowed out of their 5-year contract with the city. Parks officials refused to renegotiate the contract and co-owner Derek Hunt and his partners just couldn't keep up with the competition of license-free veteran vendors. "The Parks Department pretty much put us out of business," Hunt tells the Post.
The longstanding rule that allows veterans to sell in areas of the city where others must pay has been an ongoing gripe of both paying vendors and the NYPD. Last Wednesday the NYPD removed unauthorized carts only to have them all return the next morning. Vendors maintain they have the right to be there, and continue fighting to remain in the space, but both legal and illegal vendors are making it difficult for the Parks Department to secure high-paying non-vet vendors.
If you recall, hot dog vendor Pasang Sherpa ended up in a similar position back in 2009. Originally bidding $643,000 a year to the Parks Department for the right to operate his cart in front of the museum, he was ultimately evicted.
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cupcakes
metropolitan museum of art
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veterans
Carrie Dennis
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