Mariesa Bergin | Staff Writer
Oct. 20, 2014 marked the opening of Ivie Juice Bar in Provo, Utah. 22-year-old UVU senior, Ivie Gonsalves worked closely with her family to develop a restaurant that mirrored the diet she had researched and refined as an athlete.
Gonsalves designed a simple menu that supported her ideas about healthy living and was reminiscent of the Juice shops and Acai Cafes she had stumbled upon during her visits to California. Menu items include acai bowls, shakes, seasonal pumpkin bisque, a build-your-own juice option, as well as several multi-day juice cleanse packages.
The Mango Limeade is the perfect combination of sweet and sour with a kick of cinnamon to add a rich dimension of flavor. The Acai bowls are full of fresh fruits, veggies, and proteins that leave customers feeling energized and light. In short, the food has a crisp, healthy taste that is unique when compared to other sugar-loaded juice and smoothie bars.
The continued focus on health conscious choices and a national juicing craze have paved the way for Ivie’s opening in a community that has been slow to tap into the market that the new juice bar is targeting. Local contenders including Mend’s Juicery, Real Food’s Market Café, and Juice Press all offer pieces of Ivie’s healthy menu, but Ivie’s may be the first to offer a menu of its kind in Utah Valley.
The hip joint features local art and acoustic jam sessions on Wednesday nights. It is located in the heart of Provo, just down the street from the Veloure Live Music Gallery in Provo. It is quickly becoming a hangout and homework-break hub for college students in Utah Valley.
“It’s so delicious and so hipster,” tweeted Summer Tristen after trying the restaurant for the first time.
The Juice Bar provides free Wi-Fi to customers and offers a great atmosphere for socializing and relaxing.
Gonsalves is a long distance runner at UVU who tailored her diet to improve her performance on the track. When she discovered that her improved times as a runner coincided with her new juice and smoothie filled diet, wheels began turning. With the support of friends, family, and a network of connections she didn’t even realize she had, Ivie spent 2014 designing, blending, and writing a business plan to make Ivie’s come to life.
“My advice for those who are thinking about running their own business is this: If you have a good idea, take the risk. Ivie’s may or may not be successful in the end, but I’ll be able to say that I tried it, and I learned a ton from it regardless. That makes it worth my while,” said Gonsalves.
While Gonsalves acknowledges that this plan would have come to light with or without her current education track in Public Relations, she acknowledges that school has helped immensely in the way of establishing organizational patterns and writing skills. She believes her understanding of do’s and don’ts from a public relations perspective will be invaluable to her as she continues on her journey as a first-time business owner.
