Lemonade Stand Reaps $176 on $2 Investment

HAMPSHIRE, Tenn. - Three girls and a boy ran a lemonade stand recently. Their gross sales were $176 within two days.

The perennial summer job for kids became a reality in this town of nearly 1,500 people with household supplies and a $2 investment from Meemaw to buy powder for drinks mixed with a grandmother's tap water.

Iced lemonade in a blue or red solo cup, garnished with a thin slice of lemon cost $1. One customer paid with $1 coins displaying U.S. Presidents Zachary Taylor and Rurtherford B. Hayes and Sacagawea, the native American woman who helped the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

From her porch just north of the Lewis County line, grandmother Pat Grimmitt, a self-described meema, monitored the front yard, a perfect place on the main street through this town.

Sydney Gilliam's business partner is Lilly Dodge and her mother, Heather, says, "They really did have a good spot ...

"You don't see lemonade stands much anymore, Heather says. "We were glad to see so many people stop."

Sydney says Grimmitt supplied the lemons, water, a cooler, ice, jars, red and blue plastic cups, a sun umbrella, table and stools. The 13-year-old rising freshman and her friend, Lilly Dodge, 14, were helped by Joenie Sims and her brother, Dalen.

Should the lemonade stand's investor be repaid?

"Yeah, we were thinking about that," Lilly said. "I would say yes, because she helped us."

The idea to sell lemonade came when "We were walking in the CeeBee" grocery, Lilly said. "And I told Sydney, 'You know what we need to do? A lemonade stand.'"

They compared the price and volume of a bottle of lemonade to the price of boxed powder to be mixed with much more water, and decided to make their own in Hampshire with Meemaw's help.

"Of course they brought the idea to me," Grimmitt explained while seated on her front porch.

"And," Sydney said, "she said yes."

What else would Grimmitt say? "I'm a meemaw," Grimmitt said, explaining that's what meemaws do.

Sydney's mother, Kimberly Gilliam of Hampshire Pike, said her daughter made lemonade to go with dinner Thursday night. It was a pleasant surprise.

The children just wanted to put up a stand to see if they could make some money. They might be spending their money in Franklin.

"They love going to Learning Express," Kimberly said of a chain store selling playthings and games with a focus on education and creativity. "They want money to go again. It's a store in Cool Springs. I guess they've got things to learn." Sydney's mom says much of what the toy store sells "is supposed to help with anxiety."

The lemonade stand "was a spur of the moment idea," Kimberly said. "I think they were ready to have some fun...

"We live in the middle of Mt. Pleasant," she said. "It's not a good location" for a lemonade stand. The Gilliams live near a high school. There's no traffic when school's out for summer.

Lilly's mother, Heather, says her daughter is "a people person," and Sydney is her best friend.

Lilly was asked what investors do. At first, she hesitated to explain.

"An investor is someone who puts money into plans and things to achieve more money," Lilly said.

She and Sydney were asked on the porch with Meemaw if they're capitalists. The girls had identical replies. Both said, "Yeah. I guess."

They split the money. The two who took the initiative and Joenie got $55 each, Lilly said. Another $11 went to "our friend, who kind-of helped," Lilly said. "And that's why we gave him less money." He is Dalen, Lilly's boyfriend, she said.

"He's the nicest guy I could ever meet," Lilly said. "He didn't do very much, but he did help us."

That distribution of the gross is how Lilly reached the total of $176, but it's apparently before their investo is rewarded.

"I could be wrong on the total," Lilly said. "It was really busy at the end" when they had to pack up and close down before a dental appointment.

As she spoke on the phone, neighbors were "shooting fire works," Lilly said on June 24. "It's really annoying. It's not legal yet, not until the 4th of July. If they get caught, they will get in trouble."