Kids gain business savvy

Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer

October 13 was a blustery day, but that didn’t deter young entrepreneurs from selling their wares in the parking lot at Homemade Harvest in Green Bank.

Homemade Harvest owner Melia Thompson organized the event to help local kids sell their homemade crafts, baked goods and more.

“I had anything from bookmarks, jewelry making, beautiful cards, salves, soaps, baked goods, monster plushies,” she said. “We had a boy who made apple cider, which seemed to be a very big hit. At the end of the day, all the kids came in and asked when we were going to do it next time.”

Thompson said she was inspired to have the Kid Entrepreneurs Fair after she had a conversation with friend Jennifer MacGregor about showcasing the talents and creations of their children.

“I also needed an outlet for my twelve-year-old daughter [Mariah], who is making moccasins,” Thompson said. “She needed a place to sell those, and this gave her the focus and drive to make multiple pairs, knowing that she had an event.”
Unfortunately, Mariah was sick the day of the fair, so she was unable to sell her moccasins, but Thompson said she will have another chance, as she plans to make the event biannual.

“The kids seemed happy, and I think the plan is to have another one in May,” she said. “I’ve already heard a little chatter about what they’re doing because they’re not going to have apples to make apple cider in May, but maybe we’ll have strawberries by then. They were already planning and chatting away.”

Thompson had 14 young entrepreneurs sign up and 11 of them sold their work at the event.

Participating at the event were Jennifer and Joseph Taylor, Maggie, Quinn, Aaron, Alice and Ansley MacGregor, Sherry Walker, Addy and Aliza Hayes and Zoe and Vega Guamis and Pocahontas County High School athletics.