Excluded from holiday festival, food vendor holds successful school supply drive

BOILING SPRING LAKES, NC (WWAY) —  After a food vendor was turned away from the Southport 4th of July festival last week due to an electrical issue, he decided to turn things around by holding a school supply drive. And he gives the results an “A+”!

Tony Herndon owns “Joe Loves Lobster Rolls” in Boiling Spring Lakes, and has a food trailer he takes to local events.

After he spent $10,000 on fresh lobster, he learned he would not be able to set up his trailer at the festival.

He then decided to partner with Communities in Schools, and gave a discount to anyone who brought a school supply or donated cash.

“We were able to collect an entire box of school supplies. We also got $538 in cash for them,” Herndon said. “We sold everything, sold all 300+ pounds, we had to close on Sunday because of it. [We are] very, very appreciative of the community, everyone came out, everyone supported us.”

Herndon says the Southport Chamber of Commerce told him Wednesday that he will get a refund of his $1,000 deposit.