Atlanta-based chain Tropical Smoothie Cafe promises the taste of summer year-round with plans for a new outpost on Sherman Avenue to open by July, offering a range of nutritional options for students and residents.
The franchise filed a building permit with the city late last year to open at the remodeled Varsity Theater site at 1710 Sherman Ave. The storefront will be located alongside the entrance to The Varsity apartments and the upcoming Mexican food chain Guzman y Gomez.
Last week, the Tropical Smoothie Cafe also filed for a food establishment license with the city’s Department of Health and Human Services.
The store’s franchiser, Evanston resident Cesar Coronado, said opening a franchise in Evanston was “a natural fit” because it has catered Northwestern events in the past.
“We see the demand, and we are excited to be a part of the thriving downtown area and community,” Coronado said.
Coronado currently owns seven Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations in Chicago and said he is in the process of opening additional locations in downtown Chicago, River North, South Loop and Grant Park by the early summer.
The “secret sauce” to Tropical Smoothie Cafe’s expansion in the Chicago area is its commitment to community, including its active role in chambers of commerce and its sponsorship of local teams, Coronado added.
The national chain, which first started selling smoothies on the beaches of Destin, Florida, in the 1990s, now has more than 1,500 locations across the country. On its website, the cafe describes itself as a “lifestyle brand” for people seeking healthier alternatives to fast food.
The cafe offers dozens of options ranging from acai bowls and veggie wraps to multicolored smoothies with funky, alliterative names.
Laura Brown, Downtown Evanston’s director of marketing, said the cafe would offer “casual, quick, on-the-go lunch options” and promote a healthy lifestyle that could appeal to busy students and Evanston residents alike.
Notably, the cafe will open just up the street from Jamba, a fellow smoothie chain that has sold frozen, fruity drinks on Sherman Avenue for nearly two years.
Coronado said the cafe will provide seating and will offer distinctive food options for an Evanston market saturated with coffee and bubble tea shops.
Regardless of new competitors, Jamba shift leader Kobi Evans said the chain will continue to stand out for its service to the Northwestern and Evanston communities.
“Nobody beats Jamba at this point,” Evans said.
Beyond the competition, Evanston Economic Development Manager Paul Zalmezak said the cafe will complement other national brands downtown.
He said he hopes the national brands downtown will attract Northwestern students who are familiar with their offerings.
“Ultimately, the fact that national brands continue to pursue space in downtown Evanston shows that Evanston remains a strong marketplace,” Zalmezak said.
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