THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 19, 1995 TAG: 9507180127
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Coastal Journal
SOURCE: Mary Reid Barrow
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
Michael McLaughlin is learning the ins and outs of retail business at an early age.
For the second summer, the 12-year-old Lynnhaven Middle School student is selling vegetables in his Kings Grant yard. He operates his business by the book.
His father, Patrick, grows the vegetables in a large garden behind the house. But Michael doesn't just take his dad's vegetables and sell them. He deals with him as though his dad were the wholesaler.
``Half of my money goes to my dad,'' Michael said. ``I get the rest.''
Michael's business is no summer lemonade stand either. He's strictly legal.
His father, who is retired from the Navy and is a painting contractor, takes Michael down to the courthouse each year to purchase a peddler's license. The license is prominently displayed at the stand as it should be.
Michael is also organized. He has a money box with change. He has an accurate kitchen scale for weighing his produce. And he keeps a written record of every sale.
Like his dad who maintains a compost pile of grass clippings and leaves, Michael believes in recycling. As produce bags, he uses the plastic bags the newspaper is delivered in each morning.
Michael occasionally shops the nearby Farm Fresh to check on vegetable prices. ``We try to make it less expensive than the Farm Fresh,'' he said.
He is dependable, too. He keeps regular hours at the vegetable stand: 1 to 6 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday, if the weather permits. ``I call my dad to help if I want to go inside,'' he said.
To let the neighbors know he was opening again this year, Michael created fliers on his computer, complete with the peddler's license number at the bottom. When he opened the stand for the first time last Monday, his advertising paid off. He made $29 in the first day.
On Thursday, he was was all set up for sales again. His father built a long table as well as a portable stand for displaying the vegetables. Boxes of Roma, cocktail and big boy tomatoes were out. So was yellow squash, acorn squash and zucchini. Hot peppers, banana peppers and green peppers were available. So were herbs - bunches of chives and Italian and curly leaf parsley. Eggplant, okra, bush beans, icebox watermelons and yellow peppers are among the vegetables coming on.
Michael started selling vegetables last summer to raise money for Scouting activities. Ever since he was a little boy, Michael said, he thought his father ought to sell some of his vegetables. It was a good thought, because Michael raised $300 last year that went toward a week of Scout camp.
``We wanted him to know what it's like to make money,'' said his mom, Mavie, who describes herself as ``the straw boss'' of the operation.
``I didn't start off really big at first,'' Michael said. ``But then more people came and now some even come from Middle Plantation.''
Michael, an honor roll student, doesn't want to go into the retail business as a career. Horticulture doesn't interest him either.
``I want to be a scientist when I grow up,'' he said, ``not one that works with plants but a car designer. I already have a design for a car that hovers and rides on an electro-magnetic field.''
Take advantage of the vegetables while you can, folks. Sounds like Michael isn't long for the produce business. You can find him at the intersection of Green Pine Lane and King's Landing Circle.
P.S. A PRETTY BLUE PARAKEET is feeding at bird feeders in streets in the 60s at the North End. If you've lost one, call on my infoline number listed at the bottom of this column.
THE TIDEWATER DAYLILY SOCIETY'S annual daylily sale will take place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday at McDonald's Garden Center, 1144 Independence Blvd. More than 40 varieties of lilies will be available at $5 per plant or $20 for five plants. Call 481-2285 for more information.
WHILE YOU WERE AWAY: Photos and memorabilia chronicling the demolition of old landmarks, like the Avamere Hotel and the Peppermint Beach Club, are on display through Sept. 10 at the Life-Saving Museum of Virginia, 24th Street and Atlantic Avenue. MEMO: What unusual nature have you seen this week? And what do you know about
Tidewater traditions and lore? Call me on INFOLINE, 640-5555. Enter
category 2290. Or, send a computer message to my Internet address:
mbarrow(AT)infi.net.
ILLUSTRATION: Michael McLaughlin, 12, deals with his father, Patrick, as
though Dad was the vegetable wholesaler, then he sells to customers
like Mary Longest and Morgan Barrett at competitive retail prices.
Photos by
MARY REID BARROW
by CNB