Chad Camden purchases a lemonade from Connor Marsh in Denver. /Michelle T. Bernard
DENVER – The corner of St. James Church Road and Glen Meadows Drive has become a hot spot for a cool drink.
Connor Marsh – a/k/a “Mr. Squeeze” – could be sitting inside playing on electronics or watching television. As hot as it’s been the past few days, that may have been a more comfortable place for him to be. Instead, Connor, 11, and his mother, Angelica, sit outside offering what is often a harbinger of summer – fresh squeezed lemonade.
“My parents asked me if I wanted to make a lemonade stand and I told them sure, it’d be a good source of money,” he said. “I sell at least 10 a day. I’m not making lots of money, but enough.”
It started when the family went to the farmer’s market on a hot day and Marsh really would have liked a lemonade, but no one was selling it.
A whole lemon is used in each glass of lemonade. /Michelle T. Bernard
“Every now and then they’ll have a lemonade stand at the farmer’s market,” she said. “We ended up going to a convenience store and getting a bottle of lemonade.”
It wasn’t as good as fresh squeezed and Marsh thought to herself, people don’t do lemonade stands anymore.
“Connor took the idea and ran with it,” she said. “Most of this was his idea. We’ve been going over the business side of it, what he needs to put back to replenish supplies. We’re trying to help with the management piece of it, but he’s doing a great job so far.”
Connor has taken the time to develop the recipe for the lemonade he sells with the added flair of a slice of fresh lemon in each glass.
“I take the lemon and cut it just a little bit left of center, cut and then go a little right so I have a slice,” he said. “I cut that in half and add it to the glass.”
Connor Marsh adds a special flair to his lemonade with a fresh slice of lemon. /Michelle T. Bernard
It’s unclear who’s enjoying the experience more, Connor or his mother.
“Having the community come by and tell stories about how when they were growing up, they had a lemonade stand,” she said. “Being able to give them a little taste of their childhood. When a lot of days we’re in a rush to get done as quickly as we can, Connor’s happy to hand squeeze each lemon. It takes a minute and you’re connecting with the people who stop by.”
The lemonade stand is at 3415 St. James Church Road. For hours, check out Angelica Hoover Marsh’s Facebook page.
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