Portable Old Fashioned Roadside Stand - Girl Scout Cookies / Lemonade / Kissing

I wanted to help a local girl set up a booth to sell girl scout cookies in my neighborhood. I wanted it to be reminiscent of the lemonade and roadside stands of my childhood. I also wanted it to be easily portable for her and her mom to set up and haul around to different areas.

I initially planned to build this out of pallets, but was unable to get a quality pallet that didn't just disintegrate when I tried busting them apart. Luckily, a good friend of mine is a scrap lumber hoarder and let me peruse his stockpile. I think I end up liking how it turned out now more than if I had just used a pallet.

Step 1: Supplies

If you have any scrap lumber laying around this would be a great project to use some of it up. For the overall rustic look, you'll want to use older, weathered boards of different sizes. 

You will need:
Approximately 6 boards for the slats on the front. Measure and cut to 48 inches You may need more than 6, depending on how tall you want to make the front of the booth.
One 2x4 that's 10 feet long. Cut in half, so two 2x4 boards that are 5 foot.
One wide board for the top of the booth. Also cut to 48"
Out of the same wood you get the 6 boards for you will also need 4 boards that are 2 foot long. These will be the feet that stabilize the booth.
From any scrap lumber you will need 2 boards that are 22 inches tall, I used some scrap 1x6.
Handful of 1-1/4 inch coarse screws.
4 4 inch hinges.

Step 2: Tools

You will need:

Circular Saw
Screw Driver
Pencil
Tape Measure
Jigsaw/handsaw

Step 3: Cutting the Boards

Out of your scrap lumber you will need to make some cuts to even up the boards. I used 48 inches as a nice even measurement that let me get the best parts of my scrap lumber while making the booth small enough to be easily transportable.

Cut approximately 6 of your boards to 48 inches. 5 for the bottom of the booth and 1 for the board across the top.

Cut your widest piece of wood to 48 inches also. This will the "tabletop" part of the booth.

Cut 4 pieces of your scrap to 24 inches. The "wings."

2 scrap pieces that are cut to 26 inches tall.

One 2x4x10 that is cut in half to be 5 foot long.

Step 4: Assembly Pt. 1 Front

Lay the two 2x4 at 48 inches apart.

Lay the six pieces of 48 inches scrap boards across the 2x4s. Starting with the bottom board, flush it up against the bottom edge of the 2x4s. Then continue to stack the boards up the 2x4s. Flush the ends of these boards against the outside edge of the 2x4s. No you can see how the finished front will look.

Screw the boards into the 2x4. I found it was easiest to start with the very bottom board. Make sure it's flush against the sides and bottom of the 2x4s. After its secure just slide the next board down tight against it, then you just have to flush the sides against the 2x4. This makes it easy to just stack the boards and secure them.

Once you have the lower boards secured, attach the top. For the particular look I was going for I measured my board in half by its width and marked it. I wanted the opening to be a little larger, I just thought it looked better.

Step 5: Assembly Pt. 2 Sides

Take the two 2 foot pieces of scrap you cut and lay them side by side, with the ends flush. Measure in 4 inches and attach the 26 inch scrap board, making its bottom edge flush as shown.

Next, go back to your front piece and measure up 4 inches on the back side of the 2x4. This will be where the bottom edge of the hinge will set, secure it with the included screws. Measure up another 4 inches from the top of the first hinge, this will be where the bottom of the second hinge sits, secure it also.

Repeat this for the other set.

Step 6: Assembly Pt. 3 Standing Upright

Now is the time to grab your lovely assistant to help you hold the front while you attach the sides. The easiest way we found to do this was to just stand the front straight up, open the hinges and push the 26 inch board straight back till the hinges are at a 90 degree angle to the 2x4, as shown. Repeat this on the other side.

Step 7: Assembly Pt. 4 Tabletop

To attach the tabletop portion I notched the widest board I had in the middle. To do this I used a scrap piece of 2x4 and traced around it where I had measured the center of the board to be. This will give you a tight fitting top that seats nicely. You can either use a jigsaw or a handsaw to cut this gap out. 

Once you have it cut, fit it into the top. You may need to pound it down with a hammer, if you do, place a piece of scrap wood between the top and the hammer head to prevent marring the tabletop part. Once its in, add a couple screws diagonally into the backside of the 2x4.

Step 8: Now Start Selling Cookies, Kisses and Lemonade.

Now that your booth is completely assembled you can step back and admire your handiwork. This booth is easily modified to whatever you want, Lemonade Stand, Kissing Booth, Psychiatry Booth. You can either paint directly onto the board and keep different boards with each booth name, or you can paint on a scrap piece of muslin to keep in line with the rustic look, but if nothing else you could paint on poster board and attach it. 

I would love to see anything you build from this tutorial, please post pictures below. 

If you liked this Instructable, please take a minute to vote for me in the Woodworking and Full Spectrum Laser contests.

Thanks!