Boy Opens a 'Compliment Stand' to Brighten Everyone's Day

On a sunny day in Sycamore, Illinois, you might expect to see a lemonade stand on the corner. But a 9-year-old boy set up something rather more original - a table where the only thing he serves is kindness.

Ethan at his 'compliments stand' | Credit: Brandon Wargo

Ethan Wargo spends hours at his little stand, offering free compliments to anyone who stops by. Whether it’s a kind word about a person’s shoes or simply just encouragement for their day, Ethan makes it personal. “I want to give out something good that will make them have a big smile on their face,” he told The Washington Post.

The idea came from an unusual place: a graphic novel. In the book, a character sets up an 'insult stand'. Ethan flipped the idea on its head. “I was just thinking of it, and I was like, ‘Hey, I feel like there’s something in there that can be used,’” he explained. He felt that dispensing happiness should be free. “I didn’t want people to pay to be happy. Paying for something like that is very silly,” he added.

At first, not many people noticed. But once his dad, Brandon, shared a post in a local Facebook group, neighbors began turning up to find out what it was all about. “Yeah, it’s really blown up,” Brandon told CBS News. Ethan’s mom, Jessica, admitted she was touched by the reaction: “I was really kind of caught off guard by just how strong a reaction people had to it.”

For Ethan, it’s simple: “It makes people feel good. It also makes me feel good.”