I Luv Juicy Smoothie and Juice Bar owner, Taylor McKay, stands by the juicing station with a freshly made Hallee Berry.

Hub Staff

From a Hallee Berry to a Fuzzy Navel, there's a smoothie for everyone at I Luv Juicy Smoothie and Juice Bar, a new business opening its doors on Good Friday, April 14.

Owners Taylor McKay, Chris Hammer and their young daughter Lily, who will be 8 months old next week, have been busy for the last few months transforming the former Ralph's Shopette Gift Shop location, 544 Goderich Street in Port Elgin.

McKay said she and her husband had formerly worked on the road in construction but had always wanted to open a restaurant of some kind. “We wanted to stay home now that we have our daughter but that just wasn't an option where we used to work. You were always renting a house and always moving every 6 months or 7 months,” she explained, adding that because they didn't always work on the same project it would be difficult for one of them to see their new daughter. “We didn't want that for our family so this is kind of our future for our family. We did this for us, for Lily, so that we could be home for her and bring another link to Port Elgin. This is definitely something I think is missing here.”

The family now lives in Port Elgin and McKay said they chose this area because they were looking for somewhere with all the conveniences but with a small town feel. She also said they love outdoor activities, of which Saugeen Shores has plenty. “Then you have the really, really friendly people, the little shops that aren't anywhere else and I like that. It's nice to know all the business owners and to be able to be a part of that now.”

This will be the third I Luv Juicy Smoothie and Juice Bar and the first outside of Chatham, Ontario. McKay explained that her aunt, Dottie Laurie, started the business 13 years ago after being tired of having no options for herself for a healthy lunch other than fast food chains.

She said that her aunt was excited about the new store opening. “She has done so much research on all these smoothies, she’s done the trial and error and knows what doesn't work. She's researched things like the protein smoothies and women's portions, healthier juice boxes and kids’ smoothies,” she explained. “She’s really built it from the ground up and she's big on trying the no dairy or the soy. She’s made it that most of these smoothies can be made into a soy instead of dairy.”

McKay also said they started adding spinach or beet. “So that's a way of getting your full kind of juicing where you're just putting the whole fruit or the whole vegetable in.”

A large variety of smoothies are available from berry to citrus and tropical smoothies; breakfast, protein and cold busting options. “Once you have a smoothie, you're addicted, they're so good and there's so many kinds,” said McKay, who added that teas, coffee, hot chocolate and food options are also available. “The stuffed pretzels are delicious.”

The store will be open 7 days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. A grand opening celebration is planned for the Victoria Day weekend.

I Luv Juicy Smoothie and Juice Bar's menu is full of healthy and tasty options from kids’ smoothies to immunity boosts.

I Luv Juicy Smoothie and Juice Bar, located at the former Ralph's Shopette Gift Shop, 544 Goderich Street, Port Elgin.

The inside has been totally renovated and offers a relaxed atmosphere, where customers can sit and enjoy a variety of healthy options.

I Luv Juicy Smoothie and Juice Bar's sign, which just went up on the outside of the building this week.