After Zack and Mackenzie Vernon lost about 30 pounds each on a diet that replaced meals with shakes, they decided to open three shake and tea bars in St. Louis and Franklin counties. They opened their third store in Washington this November at 1145 Clock Tower Plaza.
Bold Nutrition sells shakes advertised as meal replacements. They vary in flavor from banana bread to the classic vanilla, and its menu lists 18 teas for sale from Grape lush to herbal.
Its kind of perfect for people that are in a hurry, on-the-go type thing or that have a certain job where it doesnt give you the time to really sit down, Zack Vernon said.
Globally, the market for fruit- and dairy-based smoothies is expected to grow each year, according to Mordor Intelligence. Between now and 2025, it is expected to have a compound annual growth rate of 7.2 percent, and the biggest market is in North America.
One year ago, the husband and wife duo opened the first shake bar in Wildwood, Zack Vernon said. Six months later, they opened a second location in Pacific. Immediately following that opening, customers encouraged them to open a third in Washington.
There are a lot of people that live in this area that commute into Pacific for work, so after we heard that for, you know, the first couple weeks we were open, we decided to start looking for the next spot, he said.
On a local scale, Zack Vernon knows customers by name. When customer Katie Barnes came in ordering her usual, he immediately made her caramel latte shake with a doughnut shot. She was one of the Pacific customers requesting the Vernons add a location closer to home, she said.
Theres so much more to it than just shakes and tea, Zack Vernon said. We get to meet people every day, and like Katie, for instance, youre on a personal level.
To start this new phase in their careers as business owners, Mackenzie Vernon, 33, quit her job as an office coordinator at Mercy South, and Zack Vernon, 36, quit his job at a GM dealership he had for seven years.
I would rather do this, maybe make a little bit less money, but actually have some kind of positive impact on the people who come into my door, Zack Vernon said.
The couple paid for the Washington store with money they had saved, and it cost between about $5,000 and $8,000 to start, Zack Vernon said.
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Vernons Expand Bold Nutrition Business With Washington Location - The Missourian
