Blend Urban Juicery now open on Ballard Ave

New organic juice and smoothie bar Blend Urban Juicery is now open at 5443 Ballard Ave NW. Co-owners Presley Thompson and Marjorie Miller, who have long-standing connections to Ballard, created the business out of their mutual passion for natural health. They opened Blend to serve the community by creating food and smoothies that are both satisfying and good for you.

Marjorie has been serving protein shakes to the Ballard community for the past year and a half from a great location on Ballard Ave. During this time, she heard great feedback from customers who were wanting to see a fuller menu of fresh juices, smoothies and salads. It was from these requests that Marjorie teamed up with long time smoothie creator Presley to expand the business and create Blend.

Blend’s overall vision comprises of both providing customers with delicious, healing, restorative, energy-boosting nutrients while at the same time educating them about healthy food and lifestyle choices. The Blend team plans to offer opportunities for locals to learn more about strategies to boost their health during biweekly Learning Labs. The juicery also caters to all dietary restrictions and is 100% gluten, soy and dairy free and uses organic ingredients.

In terms of the source of their ingredients, Presley and Marjorie are set on keeping it local. “It’s a community that is growing at a rapid pace, and we want to support local businesses, not only with the food we prepare, but also by partnering with local contractors, and artists, and using reclaimed materials for our buildout where possible,” writes Presley and Marjorie.

The menu features an array of unique and delicious smoothies sure to satisfy anyone with a craving for raw, delicious and healthy ingredients. Menu items include the Superfoodie, a mix of cacao, coconut, chia & hemp seeds, blueberries, goji berries, and a secret superfood, the Fennel Fresca, combining the unique flavors of fennel, green pear, cucumber and celery, and The Peanut Berry, which blends strawberries, banana, peanut butter and a touch of vanilla. “Our hand-crafted recipes are a blend of nutritional wisdom and creative experimentation, with a priority for locally sourced and environmentally sustainable foods,” writes Presley and Marjorie.

The Blend team have created a Kickstarter campaign to make their dream a reality and they need local support. Their kitchen has so far been limited to serving protein supplement shakes that involve no raw ingredients so there is quite a bit of upgrading that needs to be done to offer their full menu. The pledges given through the Kickstarter page will go towards purchasing equipment, buying the best quality produce and ingredients, and giving the interior a bit of a face lift. Specifically donations will help to cover costs of:

• Additional Vitamix and containers.
• Nutrifaster commercial juicer.
• Coolers to store fresh fruit and vegetables.
• Freezers to store frozen fruit.
• Electrical work to accommodate new equipment.
• A point-of-sale system (cash register, etc).
• A retail counter and product shelving.
• Food preparation counters.
• Branding and signage for our storefront window.

There are many rewards on offer for your donation including free juices, personal thank-yous, merchandise and invites to the official opening party. The Kickstarter is open for donations until December 9.

Blend is currently open with a limited menu and hours Monday – Friday from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. We will update readers with more photos and the official trading hours when Blend is totally up and running.

To learn more about Blend check out their Facebook page.

Photos courtesy of Blend.