The Greater Chamber of Vancouver’s Lemonade Day Junior Market, presented by OnPoint Community Credit Union, is an annual tradition at Esther Short Park, featuring close to 200 booths and 300 small businesses, all run by young entrepreneurs

Paul Valencia
Clark County Today

Maiya Mendoza learned a valuable lesson in the business world last year.

Be early.

“Last year, I was really late. I got a late spot next to people who were already set up,” Mendoza said.

When the market opened, “I wasn’t even ready yet.”

This year? Oh she was more than ready.

Mendoza arrived at Esther Short Park in Vancouver around 7 a.m. Saturday to set up her booth for a very special day.

The Greater Vancouver Chamber Lemonade Day Junior Market returned to Vancouver on Saturday, June 6, with 175 booths featuring more than 300 small businesses, all run by teens and children — with some assistance from parents and friends, of course.

At around 8:35 a.m., just a few minutes before the official opening of the market, Mendoza was putting up the finishing touches on her booth. She makes and sells hypoallergenic earrings, keychains, customized hair clips, necklaces, and charm bracelets.

“I just like seeing people get so fascinated by the stuff that I make. It makes me feel really good,” said Mendoza, 14, a student at Pleasant Valley Middle School.

She also appreciates this market, highlighting young entrepreneurs at one locale.

“I like selling stuff, and I like interacting with people,” she said.

Noah Dominga, an 11-year-old from Vancouver, was with family and friends who set up a few booths to market their products. Noah creates flapping birds via Origami.

“I was just looking on YouTube for Origami things. I found this,” he said of his birds.

They are called flapping birds because, yes, the wings flap.

Noah said there is a simple explanation for his appreciation of the Junior Market.

“Because I can do it,” he said.

Kadence Bratton, a 16-year-old and a student at Skyview High School, turned her hobby into a small business.

“I enjoy crocheting. I crochet when I’m watching TV,” she said.

She makes crotchet plushies to sell, with the goal to raise money to help afford a car.

She, too, arrived early on Saturday in hopes of getting a good spot along the main walking path at Esther Short Park.

“I really enjoy this market. It’s a really good way to put your stuff out there,” Bratton said. “I like making cute little things. Being at markets, you get to bring people joy.”

There were more than 50 volunteers, organized by the Greater Vancouver Chamber and presented by OnPoint Community Credit Union. The volunteers are essential for making the set-up process work.

It is all worth it, to highlight the entrepreneurs.

“This is such an amazing event,” said Lourdes Salmontes Ulrich of the chamber. “This program allows us to showcase all the amazing products that these kids have been working on for months.”

Every year, the event gets bigger.

“Even if they do it every year, every year they change their business plan, they modify it, they make it better,” Salmontes Ulrich said.

And they learn from previous years.

“It felt really good to get here early because now I know I’m going to be prepared,” Mendoza said just prior to the opening of the market. “People are already asking to buy some stuff, so I’m really excited.”