What started off as a single job for a neighbor, soon turned into a small business for 13-year-old Gabriel Hutton. After mowing multiple yards, Gabriel quickly discovered he had a passion for cutting grass and decided to make a business of it.
Even during the hot summer months, Gabriel still found both the time and energy to mow grass and earn extra cash. In fact, on one of the hottest days of the year he was able to mow seven yards in a single day.
Most of the time, Gabriel would buy his lawn mowers for cheap at yard sales using the money from previous jobs. Unfortunately, they never lasted long and would often break down within a short period of time. That was the case with his most recent lawn mower.
“We would purchase them from yard sales under the impression that they were in relatively good condition, but a month or so later they would break or burn out,” said Gabriel’s mother, Crystal Hutton. “So, this time I wanted him to save up and get one from a store brand new.”
After saving up $200, Gabriel went to his local Lowe’s in Cleveland, Tennessee to see what he could find. That’s when Store Manager Shannon Ingram ran into the young entrepreneur.
“He told me he only had a $200 budget and wanted to see the cheapest he could buy. So I used the power given to me as a manager to provide him with a high-quality Craftsman mower,” Ingram said. “I wanted him to have something that would work just as hard as he did.”
Ingram’s original plan was to match Gabriel’s budget to get him the Craftsman lawn mower, but she knew Lowe’s could do better.
I knew I had the power to really help the young man and give him the lawnmower without him coming out of pocket. So that’s what we did.
Ingram captured the moment on Facebook and since, the story has received a lot of attention and support from the community. So moved by Gabriel’s work ethic, Ingram personally decided to start a GoFundMe account for Gabriel’s business, where people could show support with donations. The fund has raised more than $2,000 so far. In return for the support, Ingram’s only ask was that when Gabriel turned 18, he would come join the Lowe’s family as a store associate.
Gabriel happily accepted the offer and said he looks forward to being a part of the Lowe’s family.
