Oct. 8, 2015 By Jackie Strawbridge
A Sunnyside juice company originally intended for deliveries has opened a storefront and small café to capitalize on 47th Avenue’s foot traffic.
Cooldown Juice is located at 39-11 47th Avenue. As the Sunnyside Post reported in July, owner Eric Barthels was attracted to this property in part due to public art that was installed there by the nonprofit RPGA studio.
Barthels, who has lived in Sunnyside for about four years, said that Cooldown Juice originally opened its 47th Avenue location in August to start a delivery service, shipping out made-to-order fresh juices to Queens, Manhattan and Brooklyn.
However in September, the company decided to add a storefront, after passersby started asking about the spot.
“[They were asking] ‘I see the juices in there, why can’t I buy the juices?” Barthels said.
The space has couches and seating for about six people. Brick and mortar sales make up about 25 percent of Cooldown Juice’s business, Barthels said.
Flavors for the organic, cold-press juices include “Dr. Greenthumb,” a mixture of green apple, cucumber, spinach, kale and other greens; “Inferno” with carrot, orange, lime, cilantro and jalapeno; and “Citrus Blast” with grapefruit, orange and kiwi.
Cooldown Juice offers groups of beverages together as a cleanse, a detox diet where drinking juice throughout the day replaces solid food.
Barthels said he was interested in opening the business in Sunnyside because it is “very community oriented.”
“I just really feel strongly about the people and the direction it’s going,” he said.
Reach reporter Jackie Strawbridge at jackie.strawbridge@queenspost.com
