It's the classic question all young American entrepreneurs ask: Is there money to be made in corner stand lemonade sales?
No. There's not. And I'll tell you why. It would behoove you to pass this on to your 4th grader who's busting his ass on the corner every Saturday and Sunday not making a dime because you, his clueless mother, set him up with a product no one wants.
Nobody likes lemonade on a sweltering hot, summer day. Lemonade quenches thirst about as well as a dry piece of bread. Lemonade is what my great-grandmother sold on the corner as a child because Pepsi hadn't been invented yet.
What the people want... what they deserve... is a pop stand. Ice cold pop is in demand on a summer day and your kid should be catering what's in demand. It's Business 101.
At the end of the day, when your kid has made exactly one dollar and 25 cents, ALL from people who felt sorry for him and tossed the lemonade out when they got to their car, what do you think that'll do to Junior's fragile self-esteem?
If you care about your kid, set him up with a cooler, a few cans of pop and a decent location. Location, location, location... it's all about location. If you stick him behind a tree on your sparsely traveled cul-de-sac, you've just set him up for failure. Stick him out on a major thoroughfair with a can of Mace and watch the money roll in. And if your kid is smart, he'll throw a few of your Coors Lights in the bottom of the cooler, sell them for $3.00 a piece and not tell you.
Posted by Cranky at July 26, 2002 08:45 AMChuckles. I agree with you, Tess (here am I, the silent Carrie speaking). Just a week ago, my brother and I was just driving by a lemonade stand (which we noticed at the last minute) and it was on the busiest street and how the heck could anyone stop for this little stand. It is impossible, IMPOSSIBLE. I bet that the kid have not earned a dime. However, if someone did stop in middle of that busy street, an accident will come in the picture. So you are right, location is really important.
Posted by: Carrie on July 26, 2002 09:44 AMMY cheeks hurt from laughing.. how true. I can see me telling the Little Guy: here honey take some of Daddy's beers and oh don't forget your can of mace. Go make mommy proud.
LMAO I had to read that to a co-worker, who thinks I'm nuts anyway, he said we are both sick. He thinks lemonade is a fine American product belch.
Posted by: Charlene on July 26, 2002 10:07 AMSo true :) When Fort Leavenworth residents have their huge city-wide garage sale every spring, the military brats have this concept down to a science. I never, ever see lemonade...just all varieties of soda, Gatorade and even ice cream, being sold at high rates of speed by 8-year-olds.
Posted by: sheri on July 26, 2002 11:42 AMHAHA! You are going to catch hell from Jodi on this one. She's a pink lemonade junkie.
Posted by: Evil Kelly on July 26, 2002 12:55 PMHmmm.... The next time I see a little kid set up in the neighborhood I think I'm gonna suggest that mommy and daddy run off to the liquor store for the little entrepeneur. :) *grin*
Posted by: roger on July 26, 2002 08:23 PMTess: As heiress to the Crystal Light fortune, and a huge fan of my family's product, I must protest. So here I am, protesting.
Posted by: Jodi on July 26, 2002 10:54 PMTold ya. hahaha
Posted by: Kelly on July 26, 2002 11:19 PMYou can take your Crystal Light and stick it up your...
:)
Posted by: Tess on July 26, 2002 11:21 PMTess, I did that. Don't you remember? You were a paramedic ... I was spread-eagled to the dingy, stained mattress in a fourth-rate hotel in the middle of nowhere ... ???
Posted by: Jodi on July 27, 2002 12:27 AM"Stick it up your..." Isn't that a Limp Bizkit lyric? ;)
Posted by: Shawn on July 27, 2002 12:31 AMOh yeh... I did it all for the nookie!
Posted by: Shawn on July 27, 2002 12:32 AMHaha, that cracks me up. I am also a Crystal Light Addict, but not the lemonade - I'm all about the iced tea!
Posted by: Candi on July 27, 2002 03:24 PM