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NewsCut
Bob Collins

The great Stillwater chalk-drawing scandal of 2014

An anonymous complaint about the Daily Grind Espresso Cafe's sidewalk chalk art in downtown Stillwater on Wednesday led to police telling them they couldn't advertise their business with sidewalk chalk. (Courtesy of Daily Grind Espresso Cafe)
Photo courtesy of Shawn Hogendorf/Stillwater Current.

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Is a sidewalk chalk drawing in Stillwater a whimsical piece of art or a dastardly and illegal expansion of commercial signage?

The Pioneer Press reports the issue is causing quite a stir in town because a coffee shop is drawing pictures and messages on the sidewalk outside of the store.

Tim Palm has been drawing the art/advertising since 2004 and his wife says they notice an uptick in business when he does. The store doesn't face the street; it's in the back of a building.

But someone has called the police -- literally called the police -- on them for doing so, according to the store's Facebook page.

Had an amazing day with all of you...until the cops came.

So, someone complained about our awesome sidewalk chalk outside, and now we no longer can put Timmy's awesomely creative coffee cups outside. Anyway, if you guys would help us out, we need to spread the word of where we are located this summer. Its hard being in the back of the building and this was our way of directing people to our door.

So Facebook friends, could you spread the word for us? We've tried sandwich boards, and they always get torn apart or the wind tosses them around. We've even had a sign out front, but that got torn off too by some awesomely drunk people. So, what is better than word of mouth? NOTHING!

So if you love us, tell all of your friends, their mothers, brothers, sisters, and cousins Thank you for being so awesome! Lets bring in more awesome!! Love all of you and thank you!!! (P.S. I know how much all of you love us, so lets keep comments civil about this whole thing. We've been around long enough to know that people can get a little touchy about this kind of thing. Keep spreading awesomeness!!)

City officials said the coffee shop can still make the signs, just leave the store's name off it.

That should fully satisfy someone who'd call the police on a chalk drawing.