The City of Long Beach celebrated the first businesses to receive a free cart as part of the Sidewalk to Success program, which provides assistance to small businesses to achieve compliance with the City’s sidewalk vending ordinance while easing the financial burden for their sidewalk vending businesses. Carts were presented this week to Ladie Kakes and Lucky Bees.

“Here in Long Beach, we want small business to thrive,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “The Sidewalk to Success program provides a much-needed hand up for local microbusinesses.”

Ladie Kakes will bring their popular brownies, whoopie pies and cookies on the road with their new cart. Owner Ashley Arnold has operated as a cottage food business, selling her confections from home and traveling to farmers markets, since 2021.

Lucky Bees will offer hot dog and pastrami from its new cart, owned and operated by Anita McCoy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Anita and her children gave away hot dogs to people in need throughout the city. She plans to use the cart to pilot a program she has been working on that will employ previously justice-involved individuals.

Since the program’s launch in August 2024, 36 small business owners have applied for carts. Of these, three have been fully approved, with two having received their carts this week and the third business, Paletas Murillo, awaiting cart manufacturing.

Paletas Murillo will bring refreshing paletas to neighborhoods across Long Beach with its new ice cream cart. Owner Juana Murillo learned about the program through Health Department outreach efforts after her pervious cart was found to be in poor condition. With this new cart she will be fulfilling her childhood dream of selling paletas.

Twelve others are nearing the final stages of the application process and could be approved to receive their carts if they are able to fulfill the final requirements.

“We want businesses to thrive and for diners to have options while ensuring that people are protected from foodborne illness,” said Health and Human Services Director Alison King. “Sidewalk to Success is a win-win by supporting sidewalk vending and food safety.”

The City has allocated $429,500 for cart purchases and applications will remain open until funding is exhausted. Carts are issued to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. More information on how to apply for a free cart and all the application documents are available on the program webpage.

The cart giveaway is just one component of the City’s Sidewalk to Success program, which provides assistance to achieve compliance while easing the financial burden for small businesses for their sidewalk vending businesses. Other incentives offered to sidewalk vendors through the Sidewalk to Success Program include covering the costs of business license and health permit fees and providing reimbursements for the first year of insurance costs. To date, 28 vendors have received such financial supports. More information about sidewalk vending, including requirements to vend and financial assistance, is available at longbeach.gov/sidewalkvending.

Sidewalk to Success is made possible by the Long Beach Recovery Act, a plan to fund economic and public health initiatives for Long Beach residents, workers and businesses critically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional information about the Long Beach Recovery Act is available at longbeach.gov/recovery. The program also aligns with Goal 4 of Long Beach’s Racial and Reconciliation Initiative to improve health and wellness in the City by eliminating social and economic disparities where health outcomes are significantly below city averages.