COLUMBUS, Ohio — There’s nothing like an ice-cold drink on a hot summer day, and that’s exactly what some young entrepreneurs are banking on. They’re taking the traditional lemonade stand up a notch by launching a full-blown business and targeting customers who could use a smile.
And the impact these kids are having is priceless.
The Thompsons know putting your best food forward starts with the shoes. Four pairs of matching white Jordans in various sizes, to be exact. One pair is for Derrick, the patriarch of the family, and one each for his sons: Dakari, 6; Deven, 10; and Dyllon, 11.
The shoes are the base of the family’s uniform, which includes black shorts and a black T-shirt advertising their family business.
That’s because the Thompson boys are the Lemonade Boys.
In the basement of their Columbus home, the boys start their day loading a large cooler with frozen bottles of flavored lemonade.
“So they can thaw out in the sun and people can have refreshing drinks,” Dyllon said while moving the frosty drinks.
The boys make and bottle the refreshments in their home kitchen. Dad said their business is much more than your typical neighborhood lemonade stand. It’s a permitted limited liability company.
“It’s never a hustle,” Derrick said. “People ask us, ‘Hey, will you take $4? Will you take $5?’ No, you can't go to the store and do that. So, it's a business.“
For the second year, the younger Thompson trio is getting hands-on experience in following their father’s entrepreneurial footsteps.
“I like to teach kids how to be independent and learn how to get their LLC and build the credit because they don’t teach this in their schools,” Derrick said.
That means summer is no break for the boys, which is something they’re fine with.
“We just thought instead of sitting in the house all day, we might as well start a lemonade business since it’s hot,” Deven said.
It’s also a way to show kids can make a difference. Their usual spot to set up shop is downtown.
“Because the people in the courthouse, when they come out, we try to make them happy,” Dyllon said.
They’re confident it will all pay off in the end.
“When we’re all done making lemonade, selling all the lemonade, we can get a lot of money to do fun stuff,” Deven said.
“This is our money we just got!” Dakari said while showing off a $20 bill.
The boys are involved in every step of the process, from budgeting and projecting earnings to handling the sales.
“A lot of guys come up to me and say, ‘Man, you give me inspiration to do something with my kids,’” Derrick said. “And we want to change that narrative that fathers aren’t there for their children.”
But aside from that, Dakari said it’s just a tasty product.
“They buy from us because we got good lemonade,” he said.
It’s a business the boys hope to continue for a long time. Their current goal is to earn enough money to finance a trailer, to take their business to events and fairs with the hopes of sharing even more smiles.
“Keep looking for us, keep rooting for us, because the sky's the limit and we're trying to go to the top,” Derrick said.
But for now, they’re cashing in on some valuable lessons.
“Make the world better,” Deven said.
They're also serving a fresh take on a family business.
“If people are frowning, we want to turn that frown upside down and bring smiles to that area with our music, with our energy, with our enthusiasm,” Derrick said.
You can follow the Lemonade Boys on Facebook and Instagram, and also order products from their website.