The enterprising boys in apartment 1F of my building have, since last summer, run a lemonade stand by the building entrance, on the corner of the street. Last year, the older boy set up shop with his mother’s baking, a pitcher of sweet drink, and a folding table. Toward the end of the summer, our handyman built him an honest-to-goodness wooden lemonade stand, tall and cute and beautifully painted, with a countertop and note-perfect “Lemonade” signs on the awning.
This summer, the younger brother has taken over the stand. He and a gregarious friend set up shop every weekday afternoon, bringing out the lemonade stand, which now includes a typed note explaining how Luis built this wonderful stand for them, and an appropriately youthful sign, taped to the side of the building, stating that “all money goes to Alzheimer’s research” (properly spelled, and with no mention of “proceeds,” which would have entitled them to skim funds).
I’m a big fan of the stand, and almost as big a fan of the mom’s baking skills, so I buy chocolate chip cookies from them (two for $1) a few times a week. They’re not the best salesmen, but they are reliable, diligent and raising money for charity. Seeing them at their stand is one of the purest joys I have experienced since moving uptown.
As of yesterday, the stand has competition. A different set of kids set up shop on the other side of the building, midblock but closer to the front door. They had lemonade and iced tea, but no food: “We have these brownies,” said one, “but we’re eating them for dinner.” So I bought an iced tea from them, which prompted an honest-to-goodness customer service inquiry: “Would you like it mixed with lemonade?” And suddenly I’m getting an Arnold Palmer from a 10-year-old on the sidewalk. The new kids are chatty and numerous–I think I saw 6 of them selling or playing nearby–but they don’t have signage yet.
I’m waiting to see how this shakes out. Will there be turf wars? Price cuts? Variety on the lemonade stands, all competing for my business?
In the meantime, I am all smiles when I finally get home. And a few bucks lighter.