When life hands you lemons, why not make lemonade? That’s exactly what three young brothers from Michigan did—they took their fight against a hefty $400 license fee for their lemonade stand to the state capitol.
The Mielke brothers, Ethan, 13, Seth, 11, and Jonathan, 8, found out last summer that they needed a permit from the local health department to sell their homemade lemonade at a farmers market in Rogers City.
Contacting the health department unveiled quite the surprise; they’d need to buy a temporary food license for $57 every two weeks, which totaled nearly $400 for their summer operation, according to reports.
This fee would essentially wipe out all the profits from their “Triple M Goods” stand, where they sell lemonade for 50 cents a glass for adults and just 10 cents for kids. Faced with such high costs, the brothers had to close their stand after three years of operating.
While certain states in the U.S. allow lemonade stands to function without permits, Michigan does not—it’s left to local health departments to monitor this.
Rather than give up, the Mielke brothers decided to make their voices heard. They wrote a letter and attended a coffee hour with Rep. Cam Cavitt (R-Cheboygan) in Alpeno.
Cavitt mentioned being taken aback by the “polite boys” and chose to assist them in changing the law.
The brothers testified in front of lawmakers at a committee hearing in Lansing on June 11. “I was a little nervous, but after a while I got used to it,” Ethan shared about his experience.
Following their compelling testimony, the Michigan House of Representatives unanimously approved House Bill 6007 on June 25. This new legislation allows minors to run lemonade stands without needing to pay for permits or licenses.
According to the bill, young entrepreneurs can continue selling non-alcoholic beverages that don’t require refrigeration as long as their annual earnings are under $5,000.
The bill is set to proceed to the Michigan Senate for a vote.
Their mother, Jessica Mielke, expressed pride, saying, “They were so excited. It was a great experience for them to see how the process works when they want to change the law.”
Cavitt released a statement celebrating the win, emphasizing that it will “make life a little easier for kids across the state,” adding, “It’s time to raise a cup and celebrate.”
He noted that this issue first came to his attention when local health departments insisted that children in the community pay fees to operate lemonade stands.
Cavitt concluded by highlighting the rare moment of bipartisan support, calling it a practical change to help children gain business experience and civic responsibility. “We were delighted to see the outpouring of votes,” he remarked.
