Taking business to the next level
The Juice Joint in downtown Phoenix, Arizona opened their doors in early 2024, quickly becoming a hot spot for healthy food and drink alternatives for the local community, serving locally sourced fruits and veggies year round for their juices and smoothies they offer.
Surrounded by multiple major universities including Arizona State University, The Juice Joint is often visited by students looking to have a healthier option that can’t be found at the typical eateries in town.
Nia Times, a lover of cooking, always knew she wanted to do something for her community and help them live healthier lives.
After attending culinary school, she switched her focus to becoming a business owner after completing a 5-day juice cleanse and learning how much it benefited her health.
Setting up The Juice Joint
In late 2023, a relative offered her a space in their building to pursue this goal, and Nia immediately got to work setting up the building to be what is now The Juice Joint.
Nia poured her own personal finances and used loans for 6 months, to bring the building up to code and obtain full licensing to serve her all-natural, organic beverages.
Opening in February, she has seen the community flock to her business enjoying her freshly made drinks.
In typical small business fashion, Nia worked a full-time job on top of starting The Juice Joint and even worked there for the first several months.
In July, she was unexpectedly laid off from her job. She has now made her business her primary focus, working on new marketing efforts by partnering with the nearby universities, as well as building up her name reputation through social media.
Winning the Credibly Small Business Award
Nia has plans for how she will be using her award:
- Purchasing materials with her company logo on it. Cups, napkins, merchandise.
- Improving the outside appeal of her business. New paint, better signage.
- Pay off current loans.
- Invest in better digital marketing ads on Google and social media.
Currently, all of Nia’s financing has gone directly towards monthly bills including the building, insurance, loans and more.
Promotional materials have been out of budget but now that she has a comfort zone thanks to the Credibly Small Business Award she can invest in getting her name and logo out there.
By including it on the cups she uses and selling t-shirts, she will be able to reach more people while also bringing in other revenue sources.
If you are interested in visiting The Juice Joint, you can visit them at www.nhsoul.net!
They are located in Downtown Phoenix, Arizona at 830 East Washington Street and parking is behind the building.
