Seth Parker, an 11-year-old from Brigham City, Utah, had a cool idea on a hot summer day. The business savvy sixth grader set up a stand advertising “ICE COLD BEER.”
It should come as no surprise that Parker’s sign quickly caught the attention of people passing by. Three people even alerted authorities.
But as it turns out, Parker had everyone fooled. He was selling IBC root beer. (If you look closely, you can see the word “root” written in green above the “beer.”)
Now, Parker is going viral after the Brigham City Police Department posted photos to its Facebook page.
“Awesome! Way to go! Genius! We need more young entrepreneurs,” wrote one person in the comments. Added another, "This young man deserves a 6 figure salary with an advertising firm!"
Parker is serving roughly 100 customers a day since opening on Tuesday.
“Business is booming,” Parker’s dad, Alan, told TODAY Parents.
But for Parker, the stand isn’t just about making money. The middler schooler, who moved to Utah from Georgia in June 2017, has had trouble making new friends.
“This is a way for Seth to meet other people,” Alan told TODAY Parents. “Before this, he was sitting inside watching TV and playing video games by myself. The transition has been tough."
Alan is happy to report that local kids are coming around to admire his son’s stand, which is located outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Seth chose the location because there’s shade and a parking lot for customers to pull into.)
“Seth has always been a little shy,” Alan said. “Running a business is helping him a lot with communication. I’m very proud of him.”