When a lemonade stand makes the news these days, it’s usually because someone has reported it for a permit violation. But so far, Quinn and Kate’s lemonade stand has managed to stay afloat.
Literally.
Because it’s on a raft.
Quinn (8) and Kate (11) Carner, with some help from their dad, have set off on the high seas of Seattle’s Lake Union to sell lemonade and ice cream. It’s a good summer to do it – Seattle has been parching under abnormally high temperatures and low rates of rainfall. The bustling lake is packed with small craft every day.
Ned Carner, the girls’ father, lives in a houseboat on the lake, which gave the family the idea for the floating lemonade stand. Ned contributed construction skills and floated them a no-interest loan, building the raft and stand on a dock beside his houseboat earlier this year. Then back in May, they took the raft out for its grand opening.
It was not, one might say, a success. The girls sold only nine lemonades at a dollar each in three hours, and making it from scratch took time they weren’t earning profit. So they reconsidered their business model. The next time they went out, the lemonade was Costco-brand and a cup cost $3, and they’d added a rotating line of frozen snacks.
They advertise their expeditions on Instagram, but say that the most effective advertising is still their lungs.
“Come get your lemonade and ice cream!” Kate shouts as the boat slowly hums along, propelled by a small electric motor.
Their enterprise broke even in late July, when the Kraken Expansion Draft celebration filled the waters around Gas Works Park with kayakers and paddleboarders. The girls made nearly $600 in two hours and sold entirely out of product.
At 8 and 11, the girls already have savings accounts and financial investments. If they keep being this smart, their future is bright.
Photo by IM PHOTO BOX / Shutterstock.com
