Fort Mill’s new Juice Bar holds grand opening Jan. 9

For those thirsting for a blast of healthy flavors, Juice Bar – in the Harris Teeter shopping center across from Baxter Village – offers a range of fresh-made juices and smoothies.

Juice Bar, which opened in November, celebrates its grand opening Saturday with free samples and tips on living a healthy lifestyle, including information from local fitness instructors and Juice Bar vendors. The juice served up is made with real fruit and contains no added sugars.

“We knew people wanted to be healthy,” said Kim Murray, a Fort Mill resident who opened Juice Bar along with her husband Troy and friends Adam and Aimee Carlotto.

Murray, who had been “juicing” – adhering to a diet that consists mostly of fruit and vegetable juices – for a year before opening Juice Bar, said nutrition is one step toward a healthier lifestyle.

“The one thing you can control is what you put in your mouth and your kids’ mouths,” she said.

Carlotto said a popular juice is the Sweet Greens, a mix of apple, kale, spinach, cucumber, parsley and lemon. She said all the juices are made on site with local produce.

Customer Tiffany Schaeffer, who works in Fort Mill, said she is happy to have Juice Bar in the area.

“It’s a good, healthy alternative,” she said. “There’s no other place like this.”

Juice Bar offers menu items for a variety of dietary needs and for both first-time customers and long-time juicers, Murray said.

“It gives your system a break from processed foods, caffeine, sugar, all of that,” she said.

Juice Bar also offers two options for daily juice cleanses, the Essential Cleanse and the Juice to Dinner cleanse, aimed at boosting and rebuilding immune systems, increasing energy and mental focus, detoxification and improving overall health.

“It’s a reboot to your system,” Carlotto said.

She said Fort Mill was a good fit for a juice bar.

“People are very knowledgeable about their food here,” Carlotto said. “We saw there was a need. It’s been 100 percent positive.”

Juice Bar also offers a variety of healthy meal and side items, such as the quinoa salad, spring rolls, chia bars, humus and soups. Vegan and gluten-free soups are also available.

The grand opening is a chance for residents to get a start on their new year’s resolution and begin making lifestyle changes, Carlotto said. There will be face painting, games, contests, raffles and giveaways.

“We want people to kick off the new year with us,” she said.

This story was originally published January 8, 2016 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Fort Mill’s new Juice Bar holds grand opening Jan. 9."