‘A fun, family experience': Transcona siblings selling popsicles throughout the neighbourhood
A trio of Transcona siblings are cashing in on a bit of nostalgia by selling frozen treats throughout the neighbourhood.
Malachi, Micah and Hannah Gingras launched the Tip Top Popsicle Shop last summer after seeing social media posts about an old Dickie Dee cart.
'Running a business is actually quite easy,' Micah told CTV News Thursday. 'It's just the starting off that's a little hard.'
The Gingras kids mounted an apartment-sized freezer on a small trailer, hitched the unit to the back of Malachi's bicycle, and added their own personal touches; splashes of bright yellows, blues, and oranges, and other branding designed by Micah.
Now, they cruise around blasting Scott Joplin's piano rag 'The Entertainer' and visit hot spots like the Transcona Aquatic Park in search of customers looking for a way to cool off.
'A lot of people have been cheering, clapping, and that sort of thing,' Hannah said.
Hannah's taken the lead on the customer experience, Micah heads up marketing and design, and Malachi handles the logistics.
'Usually, I'm the one driving the bike and dealing with the money,' Malachi explained.
The freezer is loaded with a myriad of fan favourite frozen fare and Malachi said the best-seller is a classic blue, red, and white Firecracker.
'People, I assume, find it nostalgic, so they buy it for the sake of nostalgia,' he said.
The kids say the Tip Top Popsicle Shop has helped them learn about managing money, scheduling, profit margins, and the importance of teamwork.
'I think they've learned some sense of responsibility,' Coralee Gingras, the trio's mother, told CTV News. 'I think they've learned that we live in a great place, and that a community has been so supportive of them.'
The kids split some of the profits, but other portions go into savings and to help others.
'Maybe it's a big family or they're struggling,' Micah said. 'So sometimes we just help them out instead.'
And while learning how to run a business has been invaluable, the greatest part about the summer job is creating memories that last a lifetime.
'It can be frustrating at times, but I've always loved my brothers and it's always been a fun, family experience,' Hannah said.
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