On a sunny Saturday afternoon, one can usually expect The Street Chestnut Hill to be a lively location. Young couples stroll in and out of boutiques, and young families finish up the remains of their late weekend brunches (or if you’re at Shake Shack, maybe lunch) and sit on the grassy expanse before returning to their cars and heading home.
But this past Saturday, on April 16, The Street bustled even more than usual as people arrived in droves to celebrate the opening of Chestnut Hill’s own Juice Press. Customers fresh from a workout and bubbly teens excitedly Snapchatting their entrance through the shining glass doors of the Juice Press storefront, eagerly flocked to the store’s much-anticipated grand opening to take advantage of the half-off promotion that the store offered in celebration.
Founded by Marcus Antebi in 2010 in New York, Juice Press has grown from a modest four locations in 2012 to 35 locations that are currently open or under construction on the East Coast. This meteoric rise in popularity is likely due to the company’s straightforward ethos, which promotes not only healthy eating, but also a healthy lifestyle. Additionally, all Juice Press products are certified organic, vegan, non-GMO, and non-processed—a series of buzzwords that hold increasing appeal in a society concerned with wellness and healthy eating.
And, as Michael Karsch, Chairman of the Board and Lead Investor of Juice Press, wrote in an email to The Heights, this lifestyle is exactly what it hopes to bring to the Chestnut Hill community in the coming months. Easy access to Juice Press will ideally reduce the community’s dependence on heavily processed foods, and further the public interest in wellness, which is evident in the popularity of nearby establishments such as SoulCycle. In fact, this trend in the area is what piqued the company’s initial interest in a Chestnut Hill location.
After the landlord of the new location first reached out to Juice Press, the company was intrigued by the success of nearby brands such as SoulCycle and Shake Shack.
“And of course, the photo of Tom Brady drinking one of our protein shakes in the press, felt like a very positive omen for the prospects of success in Boston,” said Karsch.
The Chestnut Hill location will also feature a full menu, which permits Bostonians access to the items that made Juice Press famous. In terms of drinks alone, the menu is quite extensive, including over 60 flavors of cold-pressed juices (all of which are made daily and pressed on site), waters infused with essences such as ginger or rose, cold-brewed coffee, specialty coffee drinks, and a selection of over 20 made-to-order superfood smoothies. One of these smoothies in particular, the “Commonhealth Avenue,” is exclusive to the Chestnut Hill location, and available for a limited time. Made from ingredients including homemade almond milk, raspberry, coca, and agave, all of the proceeds from the smoothie will be donated to the One Fund charity for survivors of the Boston Marathon bombings.
Juice Press will also offer a selection of hot soups and customizable salads from its prominent soup and salad stations, all of which can be enjoyed in the bright and open seating within the restaurant. But for customers on the go, this Juice Press also offers easy snacks, like portable bags of dried fruits.
The Chestnut Hill Juice Press will also contain the unique feature of a giant 15-foot walk-in cooler in order to cater to on-the-go customers.
The shining, mammoth cooler is one of the first things people see as they enter the store, and it contains any option they could desire. In addition to the to-go versions of signature non-processed, raw, and cold pressed juices and grab-go-smoothies, salads, breakfasts, soups, items like a sweet and creamy Raw Oatmeal or chocolate Ebony & Ivory squares also wait within the cooler’s doors.
The Chestnut Hill Juice Press will also offer juice cleanses and clean-eating plans to the surrounding community. Each program is customizable to the individual’s needs, and the nearby store provides access to coaches prepared to lead those interested through the cleansing process. And if the crowds attending the opening were any indication, the number of interested customers will be very large indeed.
“Juice Press offers a healthy lifestyle in a non-preachy, relaxed, and hip environment,” Juice Press said. “From celebrities including Tom Brady, Karlie Kloss, Joe Jonas, Owen Wilson, Jessica Alba, and Kendall Jenner, to raw-vegans, lawyers, doctors, students, moms, dads, and kids, Juice Press has developed and maintained a cult-like following.”
Featured Image by Madeleine D’Angelo/ Heights Editor
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