The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Family opens new Smoothie King
Family opens new Smoothie King
Smoothie King recently celebrated a grand opening in Painesville which marks the third time one local family has invested in Lake County and brought a national franchise to Northeast Ohio.
Anna Dey previously opened a 24-hour Anytime Fitness franchise in Concord Township with her father Von Hollingsworth in 2012 followed by opening a meal prep franchise, called Clean Eatz, with her husband Michael Dey in 2018. But it took 10 years for her dream of opening a Smoothie King to come to fruition at 1188 Mentor Ave.
“We are not your traditional business owners, and a huge part of our story is that we invest in our own backyard,” she said. “Our customers are our friends, our family, and our neighbors. We’ve continued to bet on our community and after each venture our community thanks us with their business and their support.”
Dey’s interest in investing in the fitness and wellness industry has evolved over the past eight years, she explained.
“Initially it was fueled by my own personal love for working out, and making fitness a priority in my life,” she said. “Now, it’s more about helping other people find ways to make better choices that fit into their lifestyles. It’s not an entirely altruistic choice, either, as I know this industry is growing, and that focusing on keeping our bodies well healthy and strong is a lifestyle choice gaining popularity every day.”
Along with Smoothie King’s “Clean Blends” promise to blend a nutritious smoothie, the menu also contains a “No-No List” of chemicals their products do not contain, like sulfates, preservatives, or artificial sweeteners.
The four menu categories, which are Slim, Fitness, Wellness, and Break
Time can have Enhancers added for additional benefits, she explained.
“The smoothies on our Break Time menu are the only ones with added sugar, with a few exceptions for our Fitness Weight Gain smoothies, and they’re delicious,” she said. “Our Fitness smoothies pack more protein and are great for pre/post workout to help guests fuel up or recover faster. Our Slim smoothies are going to be lower in carbohydrates and calories and never have any added sugar. And lastly, our Wellness smoothies are blended with vitamins essential to maintaining a healthy body, and feature many of our vegan/vegetarian options.”
The menu is designed to cater to each individual’s lifestyle and wellness goals, not just for someone who has a “hankering for a smoothie,” explained Keith Bales, a gym member at Anytime Fitness and frequent customer of Clean Eatz.
“You go to some smoothie shops and the menu is really simple with a handful of items,” he said. “But here
I love the breakdown of the menu where you can get creative to make your own smoothie and add the extra supplements to fit your lifestyle goals.”
He recommends looking online at the menu before coming in for the first time since there are many options to fit specific needs, from vegan smoothies to protein-rich blends for a post-workout meal.
“My go-to smoothie is called the Activator, a blueberry strawberry smoothie,” he said. “Sometimes I put in an extra shot of immune support or a multivitamin just get the extra vitamins.”
Under the Our Menu tab on the website, the Fuel Finder asks about lifestyle goals and taste preferences to help guide customers to the perfect smoothie for their needs.
Often on the road traveling for work, Bales said he got familiar with the brand at other Smoothie King franchises in airports.
“I was really excited when Anna said she was opening a Smoothie King here,” he said. “It’s a great addition to Lake County. I don’t have to wait anymore to travel to get a smoothie in an airport. Now I can just get a smoothie because I want one.”
Ordering online or downloading the app to earn points are just some ways Smoothie King makes it easy for customers to purchase smoothies, Bales explained.
“The drive-through is going to be clutch,” he said. “Customers can also order through the mobile app and have it ready for pick up. If you’re on the go, swinging through the area and you don’t want to wait in line or get out of your vehicle because of COVID, they can bring it right out to you.”
Owner Anna Dey summed up the grand opening as successful and looks forward to their growth as a team.
“It has been a crazy weekend,” Dey said.
“We had a line wrapped around the building most of the time, and we are so grateful. Most importantly we want our guests to know that we’re focusing on becoming more efficient, both in blending and in service speed, to ensure they receive the best possible experience.”