Princeton Hollins likes the term “entrepreneur.”
And it shows. The 10-year-old beams with pride as he shows off the finishing touches his father, Teon Hollins, put on Princeton’s new venture.
Princeton, a student at Garden Homes Lutheran School, points to the yellow custom countertops with drip-paint details.
“And then in these cabinets I have my cotton candy machine…,” Princeton said. “And here are water tanks for storage. And then I have my refrigerator. And in the far corner are my sinks – washing, rinsing, sanitizing and another for hand washing.
Princeton has been selling his homemade lemonade from his father’s 3×7 wooden stand for the past two years. Business has been booming since he sold out of his fruit-flavored drinks at this year’s Juneteenth Parade.
But an upgrade was needed. Princeton’s Phresh Lemonade – a portmanteau of the initials of his first and last name – went from lemonade stand to a food trailer.
Now he has a vision to franchise Phresh Lemonade with a fleet of trailers. His business plan is simple: go to areas with warm climates such as Houston, Arizona and Las Vegas.
“It’s the most popular product to sell in the summer,” Princeton says.
His decision to expand was recognizing not only his business potential, but also his own potential.
“It made me more confident in myself and that I could continue to sell it,” says Princeton, who considers himself a somewhat shy person.
He started selling his lemonade at his father’s adult kickball games in Beckum Park. But the company was born from a lesson his father wanted to pass on to his son.
“Normally, children always want parents to buy or give something,” says the eldest Hollins.
He wanted his son to “figure out a way to make your own money.” He also wanted to teach his son financial responsibility, the value of work and earning a dollar.
“It’s great to start them young… so he can understand what it takes to keep a business going, how to expand, how to make your business better,” Teon Hollins said. “That’s our goal: how to make Phresh Lemonade better.”
Princeton took cues from his father, who was already an entrepreneur. Teon is a tattoo artist and operates a mobile tattoo parlor, called Shorty’s Mobile Experience, from a converted shuttle bus.
He found the trailer for Princeton on Facebook Marketplace in July and did most of the construction of the trailer, which recently passed licensing and inspections.
“Lemonade is always a child-friendly, fun activity,” says Teon Hollins. “It was a success from the start.”
Princeton didn’t just want to sell traditional lemonade. He wanted to be different. So he started experimenting with flavors like passion fruit, peach, raspberry and blueberry. Phresh Lemonade has a variety of flavors, all made with fresh fruit. It is sold in 16-ounce containers for about $8.
Princeton wanted to expand the traditional flavor to accommodate different tastes. Customers can customize flavors. But strawberry is the bestseller.
The lemonade trailer was the next evolution of his company. Princeton knew he had to expand his Juneteenth experience. He brought 120 bottles of his homemade lemonade and sold out before noon.
Princeton can now meet demand with the lemonade trailer. He can prepare and make his fresh lemonade on the spot. And the trailer offers more counter space to explore other menu items.
Additionally, the trailer allows the duo to sell at more events, something they missed with just the lemonade stand. Summer is over, but both father and son hope to attend some youth football games and other outdoor events before the weather gets too cold.
What started as a lesson in financial responsibility has grown into a family business. And Princeton is already planning its next business venture: an apparel or streetwear brand.
“I want to remain an entrepreneur,” Princeton said. “God blessed me to be able to do this.”
This article originally appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee 10-year-old squeezes success out of Phresh Lemonade.
