Local kids learn business skills on Lemonade Day, but did they get a health permit?
Ten lemonade stands run by budding entrepreneurs will set up shop around Lakewood on Saturday as part of a national one-day event that promotes independence, problem-solving and business acumen.
Only one stand, simply called Lakewood, located at 7801 Steilacoom Blvd., says it will stock fresh-squeezed juice for a chill $1 per cup, or $1.50 with berries.
It’s unclear if the brainchild behind this stand will actually be hand-squeezing lemons or if they are using a store-bought bottle of fresh juice. It’s more than likely the latter: None of the stands requested a temporary food establishment permit from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
A limited-risk permit would cost the kids $71. Anyone serving homemade juice would also need to have a food worker’s card, which involves an online course with a final test and a $10 fee.
The stand mentioned above would have to sell at least 81 cups to break even, if the proprietors had gone the permit route.
While that might sound like overkill, the health department requires any pop-up food event to secure a permit for handling fresh produce.
On Lakewood’s official Lemonade Day page, the guidelines — in addition to asking families to pick up a mentor guide at the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce, which sponsored the city’s participation — remind these future business leaders of local regulations.
“The last thing we want is for any child’s stand to be closed due to noncompliance!” the rules say.
Carolyn Bassett, a food safety specialist at TPCHD, said commercial products for lemonade, such as a powder or frozen concentrate, would not require a permit. Fresh produce, on the other hand, “requires more processing, rinsing and handling” and thus “additional review and inspection is required to ensure it is done safely.”
Spokesperson Kenny Via admitted it might be “discouraging” for the kids to not be able to offer nature’s finest.
The agency’s temporary event coordinator has partnered with Lakewood on this event in the past.
“Based on how the kids chose to operate their stands this year, we did not need to issue any permits,” added Bassett. “We support any opportunity to see kids participate in the food industry and learn about food safety.”
Undeterred, the kids seem to have taken to heart the old adage, “When life can’t give you lemons, you still serve lemonade.”
On the menu is “all the lemonade you could imagine!!!” as the Cool Aid Lemonade stand outside AA Meats promises and at Char’s Spot across from H&L Produce on Lakewood Drive West and 74th, Charline’s “special lemonade” with (or without) your choice of peach and strawberry.
Lakewood LeMonADE at the Fort Steilacoom playground will also offer flavors, including raspberry, and a sugar-free variation.
From the Tillicum Lemonade Crew, try the “summer berry,” a blend of watermelon, raspberry and blackberry.
Since launching in 2007, the national Lemonade Day event has worked with more than 1.5 million children in 90 communities across three countries, according to its website. It encourages participating kids to create a budget, inventory, recipes and branding components for their one-day business.
In Lakewood, judges will rove around to each stand, crowning the “Best of the Zest” in two categories: Best Stand and Best Tasting Lemonade.
Just remember that real zest is, ahem, not allowed.
LEMONADE DAY - LAKEWOOD
▪ Saturday, June 3 starting at 10 a.m.
▪ Find the full list and a map of each of the 10 stands scheduled to pour June 3 at lemonadeday.org/lakewood
