Teens open ice cream shack, get scoop on running a business

A group of five teenagers ishoping their new Fredericton-area ice cream shack will allow them toscooptheir way to a profitable summer.

Triplets Mitchell, Grace and Caitlin Harrington, 14, and their neighbours Madeleine Gagnon, 14, and Matthew McQuinn, 13, convinced their parents to let them take over theicecreambusiness in the Pepper Creek Plaza.

Michele Harrington, the triplets' mother, said she initially dismissed the young entrepreneurs' idea when it first came up.

"Originally when they came to me a year ago and asked I said no, that they were too young. And then when they asked again this year I thought, 'Well they're 14 and it might be a good learning experience,'" Harrington said.

Already the teens have had to figure out everything from scheduling to health codes.

14 year old triplets and neighbours open ice cream stand

8 years ago

Duration 1:23

Meet the owners of Pepper Creek Delight, Fredericton-area's newest ice cream stand.

They found freezers to store theicecreamand a company to buy it from. And, of course, the teens had to learnhow to scoop it properly.

"It takes a lot of responsibility to open a business," said Mitchell.

Grace added that opening a business, even for the summer, is "a lot of hard work."

They also had toget insurance, decide on a name for their business and find a sign to attract their potential customers.

The pink shack is now called Pepper Creek Delight.

Ron Wilkins of Northumberland Dairy stopped by Pepper Creek Delight to teach the teens how to scoop their ice creambefore they opened.

He said this is the youngest group that he's ever helped to perfect the ideal ice cream scoop.

"They're going to have fun with it," he said.

"They're going to be sick oficecreamby the end of the summer."

Pepper Creek Delight's grand opening isSaturday.