The temperature for the first day of classes may have been uncomfortably high for Syracuse, but it was perfect weather for selling lemonade.

 

Looking to capitalize on the heat, a handful of local children in the Euclid Avenue area erected a lemonade stand on the corner of Sumner and Euclid Avenues Monday afternoon.

 

Dozens of Syracuse University and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry students returning from classes, playing basketball or just sitting out on their front porches gravitated toward the Euclid stand for Solo Cups of iced tea, lemonade or half and half.

 

‘It’s extremely hot out. This is a great idea,’ said Mike Hughes, a graduate student in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management.

 

Hughes had grabbed a large drink from the stand on his walk past Sumner. He said it was a great idea to set up a stand in a college neighborhood.

 

‘I wish I had thought of something like this,’ he said.

 

Rhett Cox, 19, along with his little brothers and friends, has been selling lemonade around Syracuse for a couple of years, he said.

 

They first started their small business on Park Avenue at a four-way stop during the summer, but moved to Sumner, knowing there would soon be an increase in foot traffic.

 

Monday was the first day the brothers were selling lemonade out on Euclid since students returned to campus this past week.

 

The group usually sells three different-sized cups: small for 50 cents, medium for 75 cents and a large red Solo Cup for $1.

 

‘It’s less than minimum wage, but it’s more than most kids make,’ said Russell Cox, Rhett’s younger brother.

The lemonade the boys use in their recipes — usually an Old Country brand mix — had run out Monday, so they were only selling iced tea.

 

The group said it usually has six or seven people helping sell the drinks, and on an average day they split the earnings at $15 per person. With an increased number of students near the university and fewer boys manning the stand, they said they expected the payoff to be a little higher when they finished up on Monday.

 

Rhett said he and his brothers hope to come out every once in a while, as long as the weather is nice. It won’t be too long before it gets too cold for people who want lemonade, he said.

Rastrum@syr.edu

 

 

 

Published on August 29, 2010 at 12:00 pm