Lemonade vendor robbed at gunpoint gets gift from Lowe's
By Associated Press
Aug 7, 2018 12:26 PM CDT
CORRECTS TO A BOY, NOT A TEENAGER - This Saturday, Aug. 4 2018, photo provided by James Castellano, of Monroe, N.C., shows a drink he bought from a boy, background, in Monroe. A teenager who held up the North Carolina lemonade stand for $17 was still at large Monday, Aug. 6, and authorities said they...   (Associated Press)

MONROE, N.C. (AP) — A 9-year-old entrepreneur whose lemonade stand was robbed of $17 got a boost for one of his other business ventures from a home-improvement chain, while authorities continued searching Tuesday for his teenage assailant.

Investigators were still searching for a male suspect in the Saturday afternoon stickup, said Union County Sheriff's Office spokesman Tony Underwood.

"We're hoping to get that tip that might help us identify this person," Underwood said. Investigators planned to meet Wednesday with an information technology specialist to download what might be on surveillance cameras outside the club house of the community where the boy lives, he said. The lemonade stand was located at a traffic circle at the entrance to the community in Monroe, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of Charlotte.

The young drinks vendor, whose first name is Mark, said a teenager pointed a handgun at him.

A business card that one customer collected from Mark's lemonade stand states he also works as a lawn mower, dog walker and professional ring bearer.

Home improvement chain Lowe's gave the boy a new, $1,100 riding lawn mower on Monday after spokeswoman Sarah Lively said officials at the company's Charlotte-area headquarters saw news reports.

A person who responded to a text sent to the telephone number listed on the boy's business card said Tuesday that Mark was selling lemonade again Sunday at the community pool and collected $256 in donations alone. The person, who identified herself as Mark's mother, declined interview requests from The Associated Press on Tuesday and declined to give the family's last name.