Chicago area boys' rocky business venture proves to be a sparkling success
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A group of 9- and 10-year-old boys found a fun way to spend their summer break. They stumbled on a gold mine – or rather, a rock mine – that has turned into a sparkling success.
Carter, Isiah, Tommy, and Pete are buds from the same neighborhood in Lombard. Now they're business partners.
"Isiah was smashing these rocks with a hammer, and he found one of the gems," Carter said. "Then Isiah said we should sell these, and then we just started selling them."
Taken from Isiah's side yard, the boys hammered out a plan as solid as their merchandise. They decided to go door-to-door, peddling their treasures for a dollar apiece.
"Most of the time it was, 'we don't want to buy rocks,'" Pete said.
"They didn't really say that. It was just, 'we're okay for right now," Tommy said.
Despite the occasional rejection, their enthusiasm remains, with varied reasons on why they want the cash – whether it be to sell the rocks for charity, to buy snacks, or to invest in their savings accounts for a phone.
Carter's mom said he asked her if the rocks were worth money, and she said no.
"Then, the next day, I wasn't home, an my husband called me, and he sent me a video of Carter walking in our house with, I think it was $12," she said.
Word of their venture spread after Carter's dad posted about it on a local Facebook community page, offering refunds to any dissatisfied customers
"We had 300-plus comments on it, and we were like blowing up for it," Tommy said.
"We were going viral," Carter said.
Tommy's mom appreciated the support from the community.
"I was actually impressed by the comments, because Facebook is a little snarky at times," Mandy Jennings said. "I was happy they were promoting their entrepreneurial, and embracing them being out and trying to sell, and not be on video games stuck inside, and just doing kids' stuff, normal kids' stuff, like we used to do in the 80s."
The fourth graders, armed with rocks and money, are now calling themselves "The Rock Rizzlers," and have a plan on how to divvy up the profits.
With their rocky start behind them, the boys already have expansion plans, so don't be surprised to get a knock on your door.
The boys' newfound fame has brought some heartwarming stories. A woman who had lost her son picked up a rock to memorialize him, a salon purchased 20 rocks for $16 plus tip, and a landscaping company humorously inquired about bulk shipments.
