In the heart of Town of Tonawanda, N.Y., a unique business venture has sprouted this summer. Twins Brook and Maya Wilson, both 12 years old, have transformed their summer vacation into an entrepreneurial journey with Double Trouble Citrus a homemade lemonade and cookie stand that opens every other weekend.
The sisters’ venture is more than just a summer pastime; it’s a lesson in business management and community support. Their stand offers $4 lemonades and $1 cookies all made from scratch. “Everything’s homemade,” Maya proudly states, while Brook adds, “We made the cookies overnight. Mom and Maya did those.”
From lemonade to business acumen
Double Trouble Citrus isn’t just a catchy name; it’s a reflection of the twins’ identity and their product. “We’re twins and lemonade has citrus in it,” Maya explains, with Brook adding, “And our mom says that we’re trouble.” But the twins are more than just troublemakers; they’re savvy businesswomen who did their math homework before launching. “We did all the budgeting and figured out how much everything would cost to replenish,” Maya says.
Supporting a local nonprofit
The twins’ venture goes beyond making a profit. A portion of their proceeds goes to Solid Foundation Prep a Western New York nonprofit that combines athletic training with academic development. For Brook, this cause is personal. “I really love basketball. I’ve been doing basketball since I was super young,” she says. “It can help kids get scholarships so they can have the same opportunity as me to get better and train better and do the sport that they love.”
Brothers Bashir and Tariq Ansari co-founded Solid Foundation Prep nine years ago. “Not only do we give them high-level basketball training, high-level skills, we also put them in the classroom, we give them lessons, we give them tech assignments,” they say. The twins’ initiative means a great deal to the organization. “It’s huge because we love supporting our students, anything that they want to get into. It doesn’t necessarily have to be basketball, it could be something innovative like this,” the Ansaris say.
Upcoming events and opportunities
Double Trouble Citrus will be open next on July 18 and 19 from noon to 5 p.m. at 59 Welwyn Circle in the Town of Tonawanda. Additional dates throughout the summer can be found on their Facebook page also called Double Trouble Citrus.
Solid Foundation Prep still has spots open for its summer league, held at Buffalo State University on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon. The program is open to kids ages 10 through high school age.
The twins’ story is a testament to the power of youth entrepreneurship and community engagement. As they continue to grow their business, they’re also making a difference in their community, one lemonade and cookie at a time.
