Brunson (Image: MVB for CHS)
From the Broadway Farmers Market, to a pop-up at La Bete, to an expanding bottled business, to this week’s announcement that the venture has found a home for its first cafe, Juicebox has been a Capitol Hill affair.
The “urban juicery” announced this week it plans to open the first Juicebox cafe on 12th Ave between Pine and Pike this fall.
“I just don’t think there’s anything like this,” Juicebox’s Kari Brunson tells CHS. “The days of vegetable based cuisine — they’re coming forward.”
The Ballou Wright building. The new Juicebox will be down there… to the right (Image: Hunters Capital)
Brunson and partner Brandin Myett have honed Juicebox’s fresh beverage offerings in their time at La Bete but the plan for the cafe is to make a giant leap forward into snacks and meals with the same dedication to fresh and raw nutrition.
While Brunson considered other parts of the city, it made the most sense for the first “permanent” Juicebox to be on the Hill — even with the hyper-competitive commercial real estate market. “I feel lucky that we found something that is a smaller space,” Brunson said. “With gorgeous wood floors, 887 square feet. We didn’t want [some kind of] sterile space.”
The 25-seat cafe in the Hunters Capital-owned, 1917-built Ballou Wright building will replace a shuttered interior design shop and require a full overhaul. Expect a “modern, feminine” feel “but not girly” in the space that will be partly designed by La Bete’s Alex Dimitrijevic. The cafe will “let the vegetables shine,” Brunson says, and will include a living wall filled with growing plants.
Juicebox joins Healeo in the Capitol Hill juice business. Brunson also says you can expect to see a continued presence at La Bete with the restaurant’s ownership also partnering in Juicebox’s cafe venture.
But don’t expect a hippie take on raw and fresh. “People hear juice bar and they think tahini dressing — tempeh,” Brunson says adding assurance that you’ll find none of the above at Juicebox. Instead, Brunson and Myett are setting out to build a “super sexy vegetable cafe.”
And not everything will be good for you — in the traditional sense. Juicebox will serve espresso and offer wine and on-tap mimosas. “It’s good to have balance in your life,” Brunson said.
You can learn more and follow progress on the new space at facebook.com/juiceboxseattle. Seattle Met has more details on the menu plans here.
Myett making a pour during a CHS visit to La Bete last year (Image: MVB for CHS)
Nice haircut!
Very nice. Will the pop up at La Bete still operate at all?
I’m glad you asked — I should have included a note about that. Will add above — but, yes, plan is to maintain a presence at La Bete in some form
“People hear juice bar and they think tahini dressing — tempeh,” Brunson says adding assurance that you’ll find none of the above at Juicebox. Instead, Brunson and Myett are setting out to build a “super sexy vegetable cafe.”
To be honest, when I think of juice bar I think of freshly juiced raw fruits and vegetables. The last thing I think of is tahini dressing.
I am little confused about the concept of this business. It is called “Juice Box,” it is set up to be a “super sexy vegetable cafe,” although it will serve also serve espresso and wine.
I think it’s a little much and can be confusing. Someone who walks buy and wants a fresh juice might be not so confident it what they may receive when they find out you serve wine and espresso.
Speaking for myself and someone who enjoys a fresh juice, espresso, and wine, I’m not sure if I will stop by. If I want a raw fresh juice, I want to go to a place that specializes in just that, organic and raw fresh juice. I will probably keep on going to Healeo and the Co-op. if I want an espresso, I already have my list of GO TO places on the hill; and same with the wine.
I understand balance but couldn’t that also mean having a balance of places to go?
; )
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