Teen has thriving roadside pumpkin business in Lexington

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Paul Holleran may only be 14-years old, but he’s all grown up, just like the pumpkins he sells along Winchester Road in Lexington.

Even though he’s not old enough to drive, he decided he wanted to take over his family’s business by growing his own pumpkins.

“I didn’t realize how much work dad used to put into it, that I have to put into it this year,”  Holleran said.

Running a pumpkin stand is hard work for anyone, but especially a teenager.  Paul says it will teach you a lesson or two.

“Definitely responsibility.  Definitely, because I would wake up at about six every morning and just cut and pile the pumpkins.  I cut and piled 200 of them one morning,” said Holleran.

So, what does an ambitious teenager do with all those pumpkins?  He sells them for three dollars apiece on the side of Winchester Road.

Business has been good and he says he really enjoys meeting new people who stop at his stand.

“I met an aerospace engineer out here.  I meet a lot of interesting people,” Holleran said.

He says most likely this will be the last weekend he’ll have any pumpkins left to sell.

“We have sold over one-thousand pumpkins here in the last few weekends and we’re just running out,” said Holleran.

Even though this pumpkin season is coming to a close, Holleran is already planning for next year.

“It feels good because I enjoy knowing that I can carry on the family tradition,” said Holleran.