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Toronto Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
9-year-old sets up stand, offers free compliments to anyone who stops by
'Chatting with people is my favourite social thing to do,' Ethan said Published Aug 13, 2025 • Last updated 0 minutes ago • 4 minute read Ethan Wargo, 9, runs a free compliments stand from his front lawn in Sycamore, Illinois. Photo by Brandon Wargo Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Ethan Wargo, 9, sets up a small table on his lawn each morning in Sycamore, Illinois, and waits for people to walk by. He will offer a compliment to anyone who stops to talk to him. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Ethan launched what he calls a 'compliments stand' in mid-July, spending up to five hours a day at his table. When people approach, he first asks them about their day and tries to get to know them. Then he gives them a compliment or two. 'Chatting with people is my favourite social thing to do,' Ethan said. The idea to start a compliments stand was inspired by a scene in a graphic novel he recently read which the characters run an insult stand. Ethan said they call people goofy names rather than mean ones. 'I was just thinking of it, and I was like, 'Hey, I feel like there's something in there that can be used,'' Ethan said. Ethan at his compliments stand on a recent afternoon. Photo by Brandon Wargo He decided to invert the concept to be a compliments stand instead. 'I thought that was a great idea,' Ethan said. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He handwrote a sign that said 'Free compliments' and parked himself next to his twin sister, Claire, who was selling her artwork at her own stand. Ethan decided charging people for compliments didn't feel right. 'I didn't want people to pay to be happy,' he said. 'Paying for something like that is very silly.' Neighbours quickly took note of Ethan's stand, and a steady stream of visitors stopped by. Ethan chatting with one of his neighbours. Photo by Brandon Wargo 'Once I got my first customer, I thought, 'I should keep doing this,'' Ethan said. Nearly a month in, 'it's been going really well.' Ethan estimates that he's given compliments to at least 60 people. He asks each visitor to tell him about themselves and their day, so he can come up with a compliment that is relevant to them. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Rainbow Kaelin, who lives down the street from Ethan, was driving home from work on July 14 when she spotted the stand and pulled over. 'I saw that it said 'Free compliments,' and I just laughed because it was so sweet,' Kaelin said. 'I thought it was brilliant.' Ethan asked her about her day, and she told him that she was training a new employee at work. Ethan replied: 'I hope that she learned a lot from you, and it will continue to go well,' Kaelin said. She thanked him and drove off. Ethan – perhaps realizing he didn't quite compliment her – ran up to her car. 'Your name is so unique,' he told Kaelin. 'He genuinely wanted to make people have a better day,' Kaelin said. 'To be out there just to be nice and be kind and spread joy was very heartwarming.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Twins Claire and Ethan running their respective stands. Photo by Brandon Wargo Kaelin decided to leave Ethan a small tip – which many visitors have done, too. Ethan and Claire recently pooled their earnings, about $120, to buy a mini fridge for a lounge they're creating in their bedroom. 'Sometimes they give a tip, and they always say thank you,' Ethan said. 'It's nice to be appreciated.' Ethan's father, Brandon Wargo, said his son has been running the stand on his own. 'He just loves chatting with people,' Wargo said, adding that he shared a post about Ethan's compliments stand in a local Facebook group. 'It kind of blew up,' he said. Dozens of comments poured in, and Shaw Local wrote a story about it. Angelina Uhren McNeela saw the post and decided to swing by Ethan's stand with her 4-year-old son. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I need to go see what this kid has to say,' she recalled thinking. 'We pull up, and Ethan just jumps right up. He's waiving, so excited,' Uhren McNeela said. They started chatting, and Uhren McNeela told Ethan she spent the day searching online for furniture to decorate a home-school center she is starting, 'and he goes, 'Wow, I really hope that goes well for you and I hope you have a great day,'' Uhren McNeela said. Ethan then complimented her green running shoes. 'These little things mean a lot,' she said. 'I love this kid.' Uhren McNeela stopped by a second and third time, and Ethan said many of his visitors have done the same. One neighbor has even returned four times. On his first visit, Ethan said, he gave him a pep talk as he was nervous about starting a new job. 'I said, 'I don't think you should worry about it; you can do it,'' Ethan said. Ethan said he only gives compliments that feel genuine. 'I want to give out something good that will make them have a big smile on their face,' he said. Ethan plans to keep his compliments stand going for the rest of the summer. 'It makes people feel good,' he said. 'It also makes me feel good.' Sunshine Girls Sunshine Girls Toronto Blue Jays Money News Relationships
IOL News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
9-year-old sets up stand, offers free compliments to anyone who stops by
Ethan Wargo, 9, runs a free compliments stand from his front lawn in Sycamore, Illinois. Image: Brandon Wargo Ethan Wargo, 9, sets up a small table on his lawn each morning in Illinois, US, and waits for people to walk by. He will offer a compliment to anyone who stops to talk to him. Ethan launched what he calls a 'compliments stand' in mid-July, spending up to five hours a day at his table. When people approach, he first asks them about their day and tries to get to know them. Then he gives them a compliment or two. 'Chatting with people is my favourite social thing to do,' Ethan said. The idea to start a compliments stand was inspired by a scene in a graphic novel he recently read which the characters run an insult stand. Ethan said they call people goofy names rather than mean ones. 'I was just thinking of it, and I was like, 'Hey, I feel like there's something in there that can be used,'' Ethan said. Ethan chatting with one of his neighbours. Image: Brandon Wargo Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ He decided to invert the concept to be a compliments stand instead. 'I thought that was a great idea,' Ethan said. He handwrote a sign that said 'Free compliments' and parked himself next to his twin sister, Claire, who was selling her artwork at her own stand. Ethan decided charging people for compliments didn't feel right. 'I didn't want people to pay to be happy,' he said. 'Paying for something like that is very silly.' Neighbours quickly took note of Ethan's stand, and a steady stream of visitors stopped by. 'Once I got my first customer, I thought, 'I should keep doing this,'' Ethan said. Nearly a month in, 'it's been going really well.' Ethan estimates that he's given compliments to at least 60 people. He asks each visitor to tell him about themselves and their day, so he can come up with a compliment that is relevant to them. Rainbow Kaelin, who lives down the street from Ethan, was driving home from work on July 14 when she spotted the stand and pulled over. 'I saw that it said 'Free compliments,' and I just laughed because it was so sweet,' Kaelin said. 'I thought it was brilliant.' Ethan asked her about her day, and she told him that she was training a new employee at work. Ethan replied: 'I hope that she learned a lot from you, and it will continue to go well,' Kaelin said. She thanked him and drove off. Ethan - perhaps realising he didn't quite compliment her - ran up to her car. 'Your name is so unique,' he told Kaelin. 'He genuinely wanted to make people have a better day,' Kaelin said. 'To be out there just to be nice and be kind and spread joy was very heartwarming.' Twins Claire and Ethan running their respective stands. Image: Brandon Wargo
Washington Post
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
9-year-old sets up stand, offers free compliments to anyone who stops by
Ethan Wargo, 9, sets up a small table on his lawn each morning in Sycamore, Illinois, and waits for people to walk by. He will offer a compliment to anyone who stops to talk to him. Ethan launched what he calls a 'compliments stand' in mid-July, spending up to five hours a day at his table. When people approach, he first asks them about their day and tries to get to know them. Then he gives them a compliment or two.
