Lessons Learned

We've been open for a month now.  Here are a few lessons we've learned:

* Don't assume too much.  For instance, we may think that a sign that says -- New Extended Hours: 9am-12am -- makes it clear that we're open from 9am thru midnight, but some really think that it means that we're open for 3 hours per day.  We've learned the importance of communicating as clearly as possible to customers.  It's our responsibility to communicate who we are and our operating hours to our customers. 

* Image matters.  For a small business, image and concept is primary, product is secondary.  We're more confident than ever that we have the best product (in terms of nutrition and taste) on the market.  But just because people like the samples we provide them doesn't mean they'll buy our products.  Most purchase our products primarily because of who we are and the idea we represent. 

* Samples work.  Samples drive in business and gives us an opportunity to entice customers about our idea.  People don't just want a drink.  They want to live an idea. 

* Taste matters.  People purchase an idea but care more about taste.  Most know what's good for them but they're unwilling to change their palates and habits.  We're expected to cater to their taste and nutritional demands.  That's why we changed our recipes daily over the first 2 weeks.  Only now do we change our menu weekly (based on feedback). 

* The customer isn't always right.  We'll discuss more about this point in another post. 

* Marketing research is garbage.  For instance, focus group interviews or anthropological fieldwork don't reveal much because they're conducted in artificial environments.  Small business owners told us that marketing research is useless for small businesses and the only way to know what sells is to sell the product.  They're right.  Our marketing research has negatively impacted our business.  Just because people say they want something doesn't mean that they really want it and if they do, they may buy it for reasons we're not attuned to.

We're beginning to leave day-to-day operations to employees so we should have more time to update the blog.  Sorry about the sporadic blog posts.

Detox Energy Shots

$2.50 per shot

Ginger-Beet Juice, freshly juiced, 2 oz. 

Protein Shake Menu

We decided it best to create a separate protein shake menu instead of giving people the option to add denatured protein powder to our smoothies.  Protein powder acts as a thickener and doesn't work well with certain drinks.  It also makes the fruits and vegetables we painstakingly prepare each day taste artificial. 
So we developed nutritionally dense protein shakes that don't taste synthetic. 

Protein Shake Menu


$5.50 for 24oz.
Made with fresh fruits and vegetables
We use Matrix 5.0 Sustained Release Protein Blend
Four servings of fruits and vegetables in each

The Energizer
Watermelon, Lemon, Carrot-Beet Juice
Calories: 200 Protein:26g Carb:25 Fiber:3g

The Butterfinger (healthy version)
Watermelon, Grape, Banana, Peanut Butter, Carrot Juice
Calories: 450 Protein: 34g Carb: 42g Fiber: 6g
Pina Colada
Mango, Pineapple, Banana, Soy Milk
Calories: 235 Protein:34g Carb:56g Fiber:8g


Popeye’s Secret
Kale, Mango, Lemon, Banana, Carrot Juice
Calories: 219 Protein:29g Carb:51g Fiber: 10g



Barb’s Breakfast
Yam, Watermelon, Peanut Butter, Soy Milk
Calories: 380 Protein:34g Carb:35 Fiber: 6g



Creatine available for $1,00 extra

No Aspartame

Smoothie Menu

Smoothie Menu


$4.50 for 24oz.
Made with fresh fruits and vegetables
Four servings of fruits and vegetables in each
No artificial sugars added



Red Hydrator
Watermelon, Pineapple, Banana, splash of Beet Juice
Calories: 198 Protein: 3g Carb: 40g Fiber: 6g



Tropical Bugs Bunny
Mango, Pineapple, Banana, Carrot Juice
Calories: 235 Protein:4g Carb:54g Fiber:8g



Summer Solstice
Strawberry, Mango, Banana, Soy Milk
Calories:230 Protein:6g Carb:36g Fiber:7g



Summer Breakfast
Strawberry, Watermelon, Lemon, Banana, Soy Milk
Calories: 200 Protein: 4g Carb: 47g Fiber:8g

Kale Smoothie
Kale, Mango, Lemon, Banana, Ginger, Carrot Juice
Calories: 219 Protein:6g Carb:49g Fiber: 10g

Pikachu’s Revenge
Jalapeno, Yam, Watermelon, Soy Milk
Calories: 180 Protein:6g Carb:35 Fiber: 6g

New Brochure

We're about to print our first brochure. 
Here it is:




Drink Fresh, Think Natural, Feel Alive
Alive Juice Bar offers nutritionally dense and diverse drinks and salads for a variety of lifestyles and needs. We use seasonal fruits and vegetables that are purchased daily and prepared in-house; we don’t use frozen fruits. Our drinks only contain naturally occurring sugars found in fresh fruits and vegetables—we don’t add artificial sugar and flavoring—and most of our drinks contain at least 4 USDA servings of fruits and vegetables. Best of all, our drinks taste great!

Practical Nutrition
Our goal is to provide our customers affordable and convenient nutrition. We believe that proper nutrition doesn’t need to be expensive nor time-consuming. Our drinks help those who are on-the-go to get the nutrition they need to be healthy and to feel alive.

Our Philosophy
We believe that the best way to healthy living is exercise and a balanced and varied diet. While we recognize that there are benefits that can be derived from proper use of nutritional supplements, studies have shown that the combination of exercise and proper diet is the safest and most effective way to maximize personal health.

Customizable Drinks
Alive Juice Bar works to meet individual needs and lifestyles. We’ve customized drinks for diabetics, for those seeking to end their caffeine addiction, and even for students who want enough energy to prepare for an exam. Tell us what you want and we’ll do our best to understand and meet your taste

3 week Anniversary

We're surviving, with 3 employees and adding a 4th after July 4th.  We're beginning to distance ourselves from day-to-day operations.  The hours have been brutal but we're gradually understanding how to run such an operation smoothly. 

While we've made many mistakes (that'll be documented in future posts), we think we've done a good job at being nimble and flexible.  There have been changes to the menu, the marketing plan, decor, and even the store name (3 times).  The bar is beginning to feel finished. 

We're Slammed

That's why we haven't updated the blog. We'll try to add new posts this weekend. 

We've learned a lot. We have a backlog of posts.  Stay tuned.