ROCKPORT — As the parents of three boys, Seania McCarthy and Dan Lampert know a lot about fooling around.
Now that their youngest son is 10, they decided to use that expertise to step out in a new venture — a new Dock Square business called R 3 Sons Fun Emporium. In fact, they launched their new enterprise on April Fool's Day.
"This was no coincidence. It was the perfect day," said Seania McCarthy. "We gave away free whoopee cushions for the first 50 customers and it was wonderful to see the kids run down here after school to get their cushion."
She said that one family, also with three sons, purchased a joke can of nuts with the "snake" inside. They placed the can in their pantry and waited for the father to find it.
"I am happy to report that dad was rather surprised when a snake flew out of his midnight snack. Good clean fun," said McCarthy.
The name is a spinoff from 1960s classic TV comedy "My Three Sons." The Rockport couple's three sones are Aedan, 14, Rowan, 12, Liam, 10. Their boys' baby shoes are on display in the store's back room — a spinoff from the shop's logo, which depicts their current shoes.
"I wanted to celebrate domestic life and parenthood, especially motherhood," said McCarthy.
Over the last month, the five family members have painted, priced, built, stocked and broken down boxes.
"For the most part, no harm came to any of us. That is not true about our mini-van — a gallon of paint spilled in the back of it," said McCarthy. "Then as we transported our mannequins — Bob and Janet — they fell forward and shattered the back window."
Bob and Janet, she explained, are garbage-picked health class anatomical mannequins the elementary school was throwing out a couple of years ago. But when they opened April 1, the store was in top shape with colorful walls and floors. A computer image of a roaring fire was going in the fireplace.
The parents, both graphic designers and artists, described their new business as "the Lampert-McCarthy College tuition fund."
"This has been the most creative project we have ever worked on," said Lampert. "We are really proud of how the boys helped out with the creation of the store. I think it will be valuable experience for them to see a business start from scratch."
They all helped choose the products, and each shared a favorite item.
McCarthy likes the yodeling pickle.
"It is right by the door. When people look at the pickle and press the button, it starts to yodel and seeing their surprise is priceless," she said. Liam likes the Bad Cat stickers. Rowan, a cat aficionado, likes the Crazy Cat Lady Action Figure. Aedan's likes the "Holy Bibel," which shows what can happen when you take Bible and add some misspelled words. Lampert likes the science toys, especially the kits that create Diet Coke and Mentos geysers.
For McCarthy, this new job brings her full circle from when she was an adolescent and her first job was working in a grocery store.
"I am back behind the cash register and I really enjoy it," said McCarthy, who noted that her eldest Aedan has the role of manager.
The store has a range of items, including penny candy, toys for children and adults, a political department, slippers and Lolita martini glasses. The back room has an art department with oil paintings by a cousin, Michael Dean , who used to be on the television show "Zoom." Among the images are the North End, including Mike's Pastries.
McCarthy was touched by one of the shoppers on opening day.
"A woman who works at The Greenery across the street came over and said she saw how hard our boys have been working this month, carrying in the boxes and everything else. She then went on to buy a bunch of fun stuff for her son who is over in Iraq. She thought it would really make them smile to see all this silly stuff," said McCarthy.
That woman was Cher Sheckler, whose son Adam Taschler, 19, is now serving in Baghdad in Army's 3rd Calvary in the 10th Mountain Division.
"I bought gag gifts, like all kinds of funny air fresheners and a whole line of Adams stuff because it is the same name as his. There are Adams ants, which are joke ants," she said. "I also bought the snake in a can that looks like a can of nuts. I hope to cheer him up."
She also sent gifts to one of her son's friends, another Rockporter, Jason Haselgard, who serves in the military at Fort Bliss, Texas.
McCarthy and Lampert are also Boy Scout den leaders. And Sheckler found she had something in common with the store owners; Sheckler's son served as an assistant leader, and Haselgard was an Eagle Scout in Rockport.
"I didn't recognize the three boys until I walked in there and I saw their mother working the counter," said Sheckler. "I watched those boys work when they got home after school, carrying boxes and boxes into the store, and really being good sports and good kids. These boys really put a lot of work themselves into making the store a success."
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Gail McCarthy can be reached at gmccarthy@gloucetertimes.com
