Let me start by saying Alex has been wanting to have a lemonade stand sort of thing forever. So when the first REAL soccer game opened at the new stadium last week and hundreds of people were walking down our street we decided we would have one.
Yesterday we went to Costco and bought our supplies, today we made posters, and about 2 hours before the game started the boys were set up and ready to go. They had candy, soda, cookies and apples (Isaac insisted we needed to have a healthy snack to offer).
Matt and I sat a way off to observe and just let the boys do their thing. They were great. Yelling out "cold soda, one dollar! lots of candy too! And healthy, healthy, healthy apples (Isaac again)" to all the people walking by. Some stopped and some didn't, but that's part of how it goes when you're running a business.
The thing Matt and I found interesting was which people stopped and which ones didn't. We would guess when we saw them coming down the street if they would stop or not. The thing is, we expected the moms and dads with kids to stop. After all, they have kids and don't their kids set up lemonade stands from time to time?
Well, some of them did. But mostly they passed right on by. Our kids' #1 customers were the young couples out on dates. The guy wanting to impress his date by buying some candy from little kids. Very interesting people study.
So why weren't the families stopping? How, being a mom or dad, do you look at two little kids selling stuff in their front yard and not pull a dollar out of your pocket. I mean, it's easy to ignore the Singular cell phone guy or the green tea girl at the mall, but a five and nine year old that have a sign saying "earning money for Disneyland", come on people. You don't have to buy them out, just one dollar would make their whole day! I really wanted to ask some of them what their reasons for not stopping were, but that may have been a little rude. So I simply sat in my lawn chair quietly judging them instead.
OK, I will now get off my soapbox.
The REAL fans were great. Alex and Isaac had a super fun time together yelling to the people passing by and selling their candy. They had contests trying to convince people what to buy (candy vs. apples), what kinds of accents they could talk in, who could yell the loudest, and who could sneak the most treats into their mouths when mom and dad weren't looking. Then bonus, they made quite a bit of money in the process (as long as I don't collect everything I spent buying their wares).

3 comments

1. Sorensen's on October 19, 2008 at 12:48 AM

   That's really cute, especially how they worked together.

    
2. Heather on October 19, 2008 at 10:24 AM

   I know what you mean- I would have stopped and usually always do. The only times I don't is if I have no cash on hand- or if it is a girl scout cookie stand, those things are the devil 5lbs a box you can count on for your $3.00!
   Way to go Alex for selling apples!

    
3. gmamary&gparick on October 26, 2008 at 6:55 PM

   We are not biased but we think your two boys are are so charming and cute. How could Folks resist?
   Way to go guys!!!!