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Comment by failwhaleshark | Hacker News Reader

What aspects of this are actually SF-specific ice creamism, is there political chicanery preventing this category of business, not understanding the permitting process/timeframe, or spending lots of money without derisking the project?

Or is it/also a "gubberment regulation always bad," "anarchism/libertarianism small gubberment always good" hit piece?

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The SF permit process allowed nearby businesses to object for whatever reason, creating an almost 1 year waiting period for the trial. The city also drags its feet in issuing permits. All that time a tenant has to pay rent, business or no business, so these anti-competitive rules and waiting periods really are bad for starting small businesses. With SF rent prices, 2 year is about $180,000.....and that's before you even purchased equipment and furniture.

I think it changed now that Prop-H passed, but he was already broke and tired by then.

Nearby businesses objecting.. That's like In-N-Out saying Whataburger can't open near it. Wow, that is/was such an incumbent advantage.

Yeah, the rent in Manhattan/SF/etc. is sometimes more costly that the entire staff for a year AND the fixtures. There's motivations to throw those kinds of places together ASAP with contractors working 24/7 until it's ready to launch. Not having the permits together, aggressive timeline, and everything lined-up to launch ahead-of-time is just too risky.

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