Meet Brooklyn’s Young Vending Machine Entrepreneur
Linus Piepmeyer, an eight-year-old from Boerum Hill, has become known as the neighborhood’s new vending machine king, even before finishing his junior year. What began as a simple lesson about money and saving has turned into a local sensation. With an artistic touch, Linus sells handmade buttons that represent New York City using a gumball machine his father bought on a whim.
Alongside his parents, Linus spends weekends crafting unique designs, featuring everything from pigeons and pizza to taxis and hot dogs. He packs these creations into colorful plastic capsules, looking to entice passersby with a two-quarters price tag.
So far, he’s doing quite well; since launching his venture in July, he has sold hundreds of buttons on Wyckoff Street. His mother, Alison, 39, jokingly mentioned to a news outlet that it seems like Linus’s piggy bank is, well, quite empty.
“I thought I’d be more into snacks,” Linus admitted, recalling that when the idea was first presented, he envisioned filling the machine with Cheetos and Twizzlers instead.
Alison, who founded a social media company, saw vending machines as a tangible way to show how creativity and hard work can lead to profit. She believed this project would be ideal for Linus, whose artistic talent has been evident from a young age.
“He’s always drawing,” said Zach, Linus’s father and co-founder of an AI platform company. “He loves making comic books.”
Linus not only creates the buttons but also manages the marketing for his machine. “If you promote your machine with signs, you’ll see a direct increase in sales,” Alison noted, explaining how valuable this lesson has been for her son.
Kathy Meyer, a neighbor and creative arts therapist, expressed her joy at witnessing people gather around the vending machine. “It’s really community building,” she said, appreciating how Linus’s project captures the essence of New York through a child’s perspective.
The local kids have taken a keen interest too, often asking Linus to create rare designs, similar to the excitement surrounding collectible items like Pokemon cards. “They’re obsessed with it,” Zach added.
The thought of a toy vending machine right there on a leafy Brooklyn street seems to keep both kids and parents engaged: “What new designs will they unveil this week?” Meyer mentioned, highlighting how it sparks conversations.
For those short on change, the Piepmeyer family is always ready to provide extra quarters. “I keep some by the front door,” Zach remarked. “When I see little kids asking for pins, I love to help them out.”
After covering the initial costs of the vending machine and the materials—about $365 in total—Alison noted that while they are just breaking even, the project provides more than just financial returns. It’s about fun, community, and teaching valuable skills to children. However, she admitted it might not be the best long-term business model.
Looking ahead, they have bigger plans. With Linus’s three-year-old sister Georgie getting involved, they aim to expand the pin designs and even roll out new merchandise. Each capsule will include a QR code directing buyers to a site where they can purchase T-shirts featuring Linus’s artwork.
But Linus has even bigger dreams. “I want to start a manga company with a friend,” he shared enthusiastically. When asked what he hopes to become, he replied without missing a beat, “I want to be a virtual reality headset maker so I can get it for free.”
It’s clear—Linus is well on his way to becoming quite the entrepreneur.
