In Savannah Girl Scouts not allowed to sell cookies outside founder’s home; Stupid move makes national news, poor public relations
Savannah is known as a great walking town - home to so much to see and do. Distracting all it has to offer is the foolish PR move of not allowing Girl Scouts to sell cookies on the streets outside their founder's home. Photo courtesy of Visit Savannah.
Readers know I love Savannah even though I’ve never even been there, but my heart broke to learn that my special little town – like too many of America’s towns – is run by fools. Why is it that when people get involved in things, some how common sense goes out the window? I’m speaking of the national headlines that Savannah is not allowing Girl Scouts to sell cookies on the street in front of their founder’s home.
Yea – pretty stupid PR move in a world where news travels at the speed of a 140 character tweet. Not to mention Internet media, YouTube, Facebook and email.
According to the CBS/AP article by Kevin Hayes - I read several, but his was the best – the city of Savannah won’t let the Girl Scouts sell in front of Juliette Gordon Low’s home at the corner of Bull Street and Oglethorpe Avenue – “peddling” on a public sidewalk is a violation of city ordinance.
You know – someone else might want to do it too… ugh.
In my book, stupid PR moves are a bigger issue these days than breaking a city ordinance. One stupid move can become a big pain in the arse quicker than it took to defend it.
Especially in a city that wants the revenue from tourists. A city that hosts festivals, including some I’m sure allow selling things on the city’s streets during them. Not to mention a city that probably can’t afford such negative news about it circling the globe.
So, what can they do?
Um, fix this fools.
According to Hayes’ article, No cookie sales outside Savannah home of Girl Scouts founder, the city’s zoning administer, Randolph Scott (thinking there’s no relation) said he investigated the matter and tried to find a solution. Apparently everything he thought of didn’t work.
City Alderman Van Johnson (is it me or are – dead – Hollywood greats taking over Savannah?) thinks the city council should consider a variance to allow temporary sales during cookie season.
Uh, duh!
Mr. Johnson, get that going and get it done – this is really bad PR for a little town that has so much to offer. Your city is coming off like the dumb cousin of a moron and it isn’t helping you.
But here’s another good one: in the article the Executive Director of the Low house, Fran Harold is quoted as saying, “tourists loved buying cookies from the girls at the home.”
Um… again, I have not yet been to Savannah, but its tops on my to-visit list, but even I can’t defend a place that is seemingly so bent on coming off like a bunch of fools with no brains between ‘em.
Folks, I’m thinking this house that is open to tours is a building, with hallways and rooms and…
Maybe a porch, though I have no idea, but a lot of buildings there have them. Or a courtyard or a… I think you’re getting my point…
… how about letting the Girl Scouts sell the cookies IN the house? It’s the home of their founder. You admit people want the cookies. Its a great sales point – for the Girl Scouts and the house. You know you can’t do it on the sidewalk because bureaucracy is so slow and lacking common sense this has become a national story…
…so why not let them have a corner, a hallway, a porch… something… and sell the darn cookies in the home. Put up a sign out front that you can come in and buy – and before you start charging to even get to the cookies – without having to pay the entry fee (if there is one) and make this a non-issue.
Someone please, step up, exercise some brain cells and be the Girl Scout cookie hero!
So.. have we covered the bases? Have we figured it out yet?
Good… now I have to go finish my sleeve of Girl Scout thin mints… while planning my future visit to Savannah…
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