DES MOINES, Iowa — At 77-years-old, Hoppy’s Lemonade Shake-Up is one of the Iowa State Fair’s oldest vendors.
In 1947 the stand started serving fair-goers at just 10 cents a pop. Since then, the stand hasn’t missed a single state fair except for the one in 2020 when COVID-19 canceled it.
The stand has always been located on the southside of the Jacobson Center.
“It’s the same lemonade we did back in 1947,” Mary Taylor, daughter of the original owner, said.
Mary’s dad, Hoppy Hartney, started the stand with his brother. Inspiration came from their parents, who owned a novelty stand and a snow cone stand on Grand Avenue.
“We used to carry the water in from the barn to make sure there was no hay in it, so it’s a lot better now,” Taylor said.
At just 13-years-old Taylor took over the stand while her dad sold programs for the Grandstand shows. Hoppy eventually passed away in 2011.
“He’d come back and make sure I had all the stock that I needed and all of the lemons,” Mary said. “Then he’d have to go back for the next event.”
Then two years ago the stand was handed down to Mary’s daughter-in-law, Candice Taylor.
“Hoppy’s Lemonade Shake-Up is important to so many people, not just the family and I wanted to keep it alive,” Candice said.
Over the years, the stand has added flavored lemonades and this year even added lemonades with shots of Monster Energy.
But after all that time, Hoppy’s has remained a family affair, with three generations now involved.
“We’re family operated,” Mary said. “Right now it’s me, my daughter-in-law, my grandchildren, her niece, her son. It stays the same, we’re all taught the same way.”
Right now Hoppy’s only stop is the Iowa State Fair, but the new owner has plans to start visiting the Warren County Fair and other festivals in the area.