‘Youngstown strong:’ Young entrepreneur opens lemonade stand back up after armed robbery

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — After a local teen was robbed at gunpoint while running his lemonade stand, Michal Miller, 14, is being recognized for “doing the right thing.”

Friday, community leader Guy Burney and local businessman Herb Washington made sure to let Miller know that he was not alone.

“He’s Youngstown strong, absolutely,” said Burney, director of The Community Initiative to Reduce Violence (CIRV).

Miller reopened his lemonade stand Friday morning on Fifth Avenue and Redondo Road. He started it last week, hoping to save some extra cash to buy school supplies, clothes and some sports equipment.

His ambition was interrupted, however, when police say he was robbed at gunpoint by another teenager.

It could have shattered his spirit, but instead, he was back in business a few days later.

“This young man had an entrepreneurial spirit,” said Burney. “I commend his courage because he didn’t let it stop him. His goal was bigger than the issue and the challenges. That’s the message, doing things the right way.”

Burney and Washington presented a $1,000 reward to Miller on Friday to let him, and any other young local entrepreneurs, know that doing the right thing is always the way to go.

“Violence is a personal decision. We have to do better with our young people,” said Burney. “This is an encouragement to everybody to keep doing good. It’s gonna pay off.”

Miller was operating his lemonade stand on the same corner for a few days before the incident. Before that, he had no trouble or run-ins with violent threats.

“It was unexpected,” Miller said.

“He made the right decision. The right decision being he could have retaliated, but he chose not to. He opened back up again and continued to face the adversity head-on and continue to do the right thing,” said Washington, president of H.L.W. Fast Track Inc. “He made a choice, and we have to teach our young kids, making choices defines us in life.”

“I think that’s what Youngstown, we’re about. We get knocked down, but we get right back up,” said Mayor Jamael Tito Brown. “He has the heart of this community.”

Brown said the armed robbery of a lemonade stand is Youngstown’s “used-to-be” story, and that Youngstown’s current story is what happened on Friday.

“That we come around and rally each other,” he said.

“Reminds me of me when I was a kid. I would mow lawns and deliver newspapers. It’s ambition, shows a brighter future for our youth,” said customer Kevin Ahart.

Now that he has raised enough for supplies and clothing, Miller hopes to save more money for his future through selling lemonade, chips, candy and soda.

“I’m really grateful for those people who have helped me get to the places that I’m at right now,” Miller said.

The lemonade costs $2, the candy costs $2, soda and water are $1, and chips are two for $1.