Gus’s Popsicles at Evanston’s Fourth of July parade

Gus Kohl arrived two hours early for Evanston’s Fourth of July parade. The 13-year-old set up his freezer and chair at a nearly empty Independence Park on Central Street, and he was ready. His goal for the parade: sell as many popsicles as he can.

“At the beginning, it was a little slow, but once the parade started, that’s when the community picked up, and I sold so many popsicles,” Kohl said. 

Kohl served customers of all ages, mostly those looking to beat the hot and humid Evanston afternoon. Oliver Bogdan, 6, was one of his first customers. 

“He had a good selection at a great price,” said Stephanie Bogdan, Oliver’s mom. 

All of Kohl’s popsicles, including Twix and Bomb Pops, were priced at $2 or less. For Dan Solomon, 72, that was the main selling point. 

“I thought he was going to charge five bucks or so,” Solomon said. “Well, I bought a great popsicle for a dollar, showed my wife — who instantly took a bite of it — and I went to get another popsicle for her. It really hit the spot.”

This isn’t Kohl’s first business. The incoming eighth grader had two side hustles before this summer, one mowing lawns and the other securing customers’ parade-viewing spots with his dad last year. 

A few weeks ago, Kohl said he saw an ice cream vendor at a Chicago Dogs baseball game and decided to sell popsicles. He used money he earned from mowing lawns to buy a used freezer online and nearly 500 popsicles from grocery stores. His sister, 16, drew a “Gus’s Popsicles” sign, and his dad bought a portable battery for the freezer. 

“He always likes the idea of coming up with a hustle and making some money,” said Denis Kohl, his dad. “He certainly seems to have a mind for it. And if this is gonna make him happy and he wants to do it, then that’s great.”

Denis Kohl said one of their biggest concerns was whether selling popsicles was legal. He referred to an Illinois law allowing persons under 16 years to sell lemonade at parks without a permit — a rule meant to protect rising entrepreneurs like Gus. 

“If you can sell sugar water, why can’t you sell frozen sugar water?” Denis Kohl said. “We decided there’s the risk of getting shut down, but he wanted to do it. He’s aware of it.”

By the parade’s end, Kohl had sold more than 80 popsicles to customers and earned about $110. 

“It’s his show and he’s running it,” said Kathryn Kohl, his mother. “Whatever he does, we’ll be helping him out, backing him up.”