Month before graduating high school, Maine teen buys ice cream parlor

BRADLEY, Maine (AP) -- A Maine teen is now the proud owner of an ice cream parlor he purchased a month before his graduation.

Jack Watkins, 18, bought Spencer’s Ice Cream in Bradley last month.

He graduated from high school on Sunday.

Many of his employees are older than him, including his sister, Emily Watkins.

Watkins says running a business is hard work, but he’s excited to do it and wants to give back to the community. He says he is collecting donations for a family who lost their home in a fire.

Employee Jean Abbot says she’s excited about the store’s future, and Watkins says he’s gearing up to run special events over the summer.