A Knoxville barbershop owner named Steven Wilson organized the first-ever Young Entrepreneurship Vendor Market outside his shop, Fat Head Barbershop. Dozens of kids set up booths to sell food, drinks and other products on a rainy Saturday, gaining hands-on business experience in a real-world setting.
Youth entrepreneurship events at this scale — organized by a local <a href="https://bitcomme.com/best-accounting-software-for-small-business-feb-2026-quickbooks-ranked-top-choice-for-uk-smes-by-expert-consumers/" title="Best Accounting Software for Small Business (Feb 2026): QuickBooks Ranked Top Choice for UK SMEs by Expert Consumers”>small business owner, not a school or nonprofit — are uncommon. Wilson drew directly from his own childhood hustle to create an opportunity he wished he’d had earlier. For families like Ariasia Groce’s, it also represented a chance to pass down a family business tradition to the next generation in a public, community-supported setting.
Wilson said he hopes the event becomes an annual tradition. No future date has been announced. The best-performing booth from this event was set to receive $100, judged on sales and work ethic.
Wilson opened Fat Head Barbershop two years ago, following in the footsteps of his father, who has been a barber for more than 30 years. Ariasia Groce’s family also runs a separate soul food business called Four Generations. Her booth, Lulu’s Sips and Sweets, is named in honor of her late grandfather.
This was the first time this event was held. There is no prior coverage to reference. The story was
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A Knoxville barbershop owner organized a youth entrepreneurship vendor market on Saturday. Dozens of children were given a chance to sell their own products and gain hands-on business experience.
Steven Wilson, owner of Fat Head Barbershop, located on 1227 Hiawassee Ave, said the idea came from his own childhood hustle — cutting grass, selling Pokémon cards and finding ways to earn money in his community. Wilson opened the shop two years ago after learning the trade from his father, who has been a barber for more than 30 years.
“Cutting hair. I love my job. I love cutting hair. My dad’s been a barber for like 30-something plus years, and I just picked up the family heirloom from him and just kept it going,” Wilson said.
The market took place outside the barbershop on a rainy Saturday, with children setting up booths to sell food, drinks and other products. Wilson said he spoke with each participant before the event and kept his advice simple.
“It gave me a drive to work hard, have a good work ethic, you know, push through adversity when you have it, and just keep moving forward. Nothing can really stop you unless you let it stop you, basically,” Wilson said.
At the end of the day, the best-performing booth was set to receive $100, judged on sales and work ethic. Wilson said the money is secondary to the experience.
“Everything that you do is not just going to be sunshine and butterflies, it’s going to be tasks and difficulties that come with it. So, as long as they can push through that — that’s the real goal that they’re going to learn today. Hard work pays off,” Wilson said.
One of the booths belonged to Ariasia Groce, who ran her family’s food business — Lulu’s Sips and Sweets — for the first time on her own, with her mother, Da’Tecia Bowden, by her side. The booth offered lemonade with fresh fruit garnishes, candy cups, brownies and pasta salad.
The business name honors Groce’s late grandfather, who called her his “Louie Lou.” The family also operates a separate soul food business called Four Generations.
Groce and her mother stayed up until midnight prepping for the event and were back up at 3 a.m.
“The rain got to me a little bit. Did I push through it? Yes ma’am,” Groce said.
Bowden said the event marked Groce’s first time running the booth independently.
“I’m happy because I’m out here with my family. Usually, we’re probably out doing some things. And seeing other kids makes me happy too — with their other parents and all of that,” Groce said.
Wilson said this is the first year for the market and that he hopes it continues. When asked what he would tell his younger self, he said he would not hesitate.
“I wish I would have started earlier, you know? Stuff got in the way, you know, life goes on, but now I’m here. So I’m just proud to be here and support my community,” Wilson said.
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