NEW BEDFORD – If you’re looking for a refreshing and unique taste, the answer isn’t in a bottle or a restaurant, it’s on wheels, thanks to the inspiring team behind Shiska Lemonade.
The vibrant lemonade truck, stationed at Buttonwood Park Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 8 p.m., from April to November, is owned by an ambitious 14-year-old entrepreneur and her hard working supportive mother.
For Deolinda Jimenez and her daughter, Tiana Miranda, the story began with one of New Bedford’s Guatemalan summer festivals hosted at Riverside Park.
“We loved checking out the tents and trailers,” Jimenez said. “Tiana fell in love with the idea of being a vendor. She kept telling me, ‘I want to do that one day!’”
That dream took shape around Tiana’s 13th birthday plans when asked what she wanted for her big day with no party, no cake, just help starting a business.
Researching recipes, experimenting with flavors, and rallying friends and family for taste tests, Miranda worked hard to figure out the best concoctions to sell.
“She was using her own money to buy flavors, trying out all kinds of sugar and zest combinations,” said Jimenez.
Figuring out how to make a dream a reality
After some setbacks, including a lost investment with a fraudulent seller, the family eventually bought a 6x10 trailer from Shark Fin, a West Bridgewater company. Jimenez said they also owe it all to the constant help of Corrin Williams and Ken Rapoza of the Community Economic Development Senter of Southeastern Massachusetts.
Together, through cold winter days, the mother-daughter duo outfitted the trailer themselves, adding sinks, running water and electricity per city requirements.
“She’d do her homework, then help me build at night. We had the heater going, music blasting… we were just so happy to be working together,” Jimenez added.
Shiska Lemonade started last year with just six flavors such as strawberry, blue raspberry and mango. But after mixing flavors, this year the menu has grown featuring drinks such as Beberlicious — a strawberry and blue raspberry mix that's their No. 1 fan favorite.
Other drinks flavors include Exotic Dream, which is passion fruit and coconut, Miami Vice featuring strawberry and coconut, and Mango Loco, which is mango lemonade with chamoy and Tajin.
The menu also includes treats such as shaved ice, candy, cookies, and chips.
Meeting new people while selling lemonade
The name “Shiska Lemonade” came from Miranda’s younger brother, who was diagnosed with autism and called her “Shiska” instead of “sister.”
Miranda, now 14, said she runs the window, chats with customers, and invents new flavors while her mom handles the hardware and logistics.
“We talked a lot before we started, about responsibility, the hard work behind the scenes, and how to communicate,” Jimenez said. “I want her to have her childhood, but she’s learned what it really means to run a business.”
“If you’re not clean and organized, you can’t work in here with my mom!” Miranda said with a laugh.
Since opening in May 2024, Shiska Lemonade has become a local favorite not just for its drinks, but for its story. Miranda hopes customers not only enjoy a refreshing cup but also feel inspired by what’s possible.
“I feel really proud,” she said. “I’m doing what not a lot of kids get to do, especially working with my mom. It’s the most beautiful thing ever.”
Jimenez said she also hopes one day her daughter can create jobs for other kids or even her brother.
“For now, we just want to make New Bedford a little sweeter. We’d like to thank friends, family, for guiding us every step,” Jimenez said.
Standard-Times staff writer Seth Chitwood can be reached at [email protected]. Find out more about him at sethchitwood.com. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.