THE SWEETS AND TREATS SHOP

Entrepreneurs' Day at Panorama on a Monday morning.  Finally!  Counting days prior to a big event, like opening a new store, is nerve racking for any eight year old.  But, the counting paid off and the day was finally here.

Mommy was responsible for the stock and Granny lent a hand to set up shop. Not that Missy needed much help.  She did her homework and her business plan was in place.  Granny was a bit concerned about the nitty-gritties,  the this-and-the-thats.

A breeze, a little drizzle, a too small display area and a poster not properly visible, but Missy had everything under control. She kept her line of attack top secret and not even Granny, who usually has access to the inner-circle-secrets, knew what Missy's strategy was going to be on this Monday morning.

Granny looked around and realized that the competition was stiff.  Moms and Dads set up stalls that belong at a church bazaar or a flea market.  Banners, gazebos and state of the art treats.  Some couples used it as a platform to sell their Samoosas, Vetkoek or Made-in-China-stuff.  Some of the little store/stall owners looked quite out of place while Mommy and Daddy were stealing the limelight.

Once "Scarlett's Sweets and Treats Shop" opened its doors a new Missy was born.  She started advertising loud and clear for all to hear, "Ice-Lollies!!  Only 25 cents each!!  Popcorn only 25 cents each!!"
(Nowhere in South Africa is it possible to buy anything for 25 cents anymore, let alone a double size ice-lolly or a large packet of home-made, preservative free, low calorie popcorn.  Of course, she totally ignored the prices as advertised on the poster outside her shop.  That was determined by the Minister of Finance.

Missy was on a roll!!

Granny was nail-biting from a distance, but soon realized the shop-owner knew what she was doing;  She started selling immediately and mostly to the hunks of the school.  They could not believe their luck, not only a beautiful blue eyed entrepreneur behind the counter, but a double size ice-lolly for only 25 cents..

O course, boys got a better deal.  Buy one get one free.  Unfortunately girls did not get the discount or qualified for the specials.  The news spread like wildfire and it was not long before a queue was forming in front of S.S. & T.S.

Missy worked under extreme pressure and the exchanging of money did not always go according to plan.  Some customers got more change than they should have, some got less.  Gender, of course, played a role.

One little fella (I'm sure he had the hots for the shop owner) did not bother to wait for his change. "Don't worry, keep the change" (Do boys blush?)  He must have been frozen inside out, because of the number of ice-lollies he bought from Missy.

Looking back at this day, Granny knows for sure, Missy is capable of selling ice to an Eskimo.


The shop adjacent to S.S.& T.S. was run by a Mom and Dad who sold hotdogs.  It did not go well initially, because the queuing was at Missy's store.  And Missy, not for once, stopped advertising her product. "Buy one get 2 free!"  "Donuts only 25 cents each!!"

At one point the owner of the hot dog stand competitively pitched in "Hotdogs!!  Only R8 each!!  Hotdogs!! Only R8 each!!"  He only started selling cold hotdogs once Missy was gone.

Missy did not make any profit today.  She had to close her shop early as she ran out of stock.  So she raided the cash register and went shopping herself.  Granny stayed behind to count the losses and called the Minister of Finance to inform her that the day was a big success and a lot of networking was done, but
S.S. & T.S is bankrupt!