By China Wong
Staff Photographer
Imagine beads of sweat slowly dripping down your face as your stomach gently lets out a low grumble. Your throat feels dry as you lick your salty lips. After a hard workout in the gym, how does a nice cold, fresh, delicious smoothie sound right about now?
Wildcat Fitness, the local gym for members of the community, added a new smoothie bar addition about a year-and-a-half ago. With the recent closing of the local nearby ice cream shop, Kaleida-Scoop (Hannaford bought out its independent owner), which also sold smoothies, the Smoothie Bar hopes to reel in some new customers.
The Smoothie Bar offers an array of products with something to please everyone. There are fruit-based, vegetable-based and milk-based smoothies, with the option of a long list of different additives (e.g. whey protein). The best part about the smoothies, according to associate of Wildcat Fitness Doug Clarke, is that they are “all natural.”
“These smoothies are very healthy and very nutritious,” he said.
The only other locations around town that offer smoothies are the Works and Aroma Joe’s. The unique aspect of getting a smoothie at Wildcat Fitness is the variety of additives they have available. The associates there know what ingredients are good for the body, and make sure to make those ingredients available.
Oliver Cuell, a personal trainer at Wildcat Fitness, has been working there for over two years, and believes that the Smoothie Bar has done great.
“We have done very well,” Cuell said. “Each month it seems to get better and better. We get a new following every single month. When we first opened, we weren’t sure how well we were going to do, but it’s been good.”
Cuell believes that the Smoothie Bar might benefit from the closing of Kaleida-Scoop, even though they were already doing well.
“There aren’t too many places in town that serve fresh and healthy smoothies,” he said. “The Smoothie Bar is very convenient, so that’s why I think it does well.”
Sophomore Caitlin Theall agrees with Cuell saying, “There aren’t other smoothie places around and now that Kaleida-scoop is closing, the Smoothie Bar is the most convenient place to go.”
Theall believes that the smoothies are the best quality and are a healthy supplement to put into your body after a hard workout.
“The Smoothie Bar has some of the best smoothies around,” she continued. “Plus you know you’re getting a good product because (gym employees) know what’s healthy and what’s good for your body.”
The most popular flavors are strawberry slam and antioxidant blast.
Michael Croco, who has been a long-time Wildcat Fitness member, believes that the Smoothie Bar has been a great addition to the gym.
“I am a fan. I love it. I was very happy with the addition,” he said.
Croco is an intense fitness guru and says that, “Post workout nutrition is very important,” which is why he takes advantage of the Smoothie Bar after every single workout. Croco’s favorite part of the Smoothie Bar is the add-ins that he can complete the veggie, fruit or milk base of his smoothie.
Each smoothie is priced at exactly $6, and they are all one size (20 ounces). According to Cuell, price has not proven to be an issue.
“I think that the price is fair. You are getting a lot of good and healthy stuff, and the price includes New Hampshire meals tax already. It’s a good-sized smoothie. The price doesn’t scare anyone off,” Cuell said.
Croco agreed with Cuell by saying, “I don’t even think about the price. I have no problem with it. The amount that you’re getting is great.”
Gym members also have a convenient opportunity to charge their smoothies to their accounts so they don’t have to pay out of pocket each time.
“We have a smoothie loyalty card that customers like taking advantage of,” Clarke said. “Once you buy nine smoothies then your tenth is on us. It’s a good incentive and a way for people to continue to purchase smoothies.”