Tucson’s first Smoothie King shop opened its doors Wednesday, the first of five planned for Southern Arizona by franchisee Karen Celaya.
Celaya’s passion for health and business drove her to open the shop in the Tucson Marketplace, 1070 E. Marketplace Blvd., Suite 100.
“I live a very healthy and active lifestyle, and it happens that Smoothie King’s mission statement is inspiring people to live an active and healthy lifestyle,” Celaya said. “So that fits perfectly with me.”
Customers can choose from fitness blends like The Hulk, which contains butter pecan ice cream, bananas and whey protein among other ingredients, and slim blends like Island Impact, which has tropical juices, protein and mango sorbet. The menu also includes vegan options and a kids menu, and the average smoothie costs $6.
Along with being a healthy option, the south side Smoothie King location also has a drive-thru for convenience.
“We know people are living busy lifestyles, so we have meal replacements ready for them in about three minutes,” Celaya said. “We provide them with all of the fruits and vegetables and protein they need for the day.”
Construction for the next location is underway on the northwest side at River and Orange Grove roads with plans to open in mid-October. Celaya said she hopes to open shops in Sahuarita, Vail, and eventually even Casa Grande and Nogales.
The Tucson Marketplace location employs 18 people. Shop hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays.
Steve Shields, Smoothie King’s franchise development manager, said that Tucson is an ideal market because of the university and all of the activities available in the area.
There are already four locations in and around Phoenix.
Celaya’s belief in Smoothie King’s product and mission statement combined with her desire to give back to Tucson makes her a great franchisee in Shields’s eyes, who added that Celaya’s energy could run the blenders.
“My job is to recruit fantastic franchisees, and I think Karen is certainly a shining star for Smoothie King,” Shields said. “She’s got a fantastic personality, active lifestyle, and is a perfect fit for the brand.”
