Text Size
  • A
  • A
  • A
Share

Talk of the Towners: Introducing Fishtown’s Newest Juice Bar


An awesome thing about living in the Riverwards is all of the new and innovative restaurants and cafes that grace our communities’ corners. One of the newest businesses set to hit Fishtown’s streets is Towners Juice Bar, a healthy, gluten-free, cold-pressed resource for organic juices.

“I’m looking to sell mostly kale-infused juices with ginger, herbs, and other natural ingredients,” said Kieth McCandless, 23, Towners owner. He primarily gets his ingredients from Lancaster and South Jersey farms and says that Riverwards Produce will be helping him to solidify local and organic growers. “The basil and mint I use will be grown by my mother, organically, two blocks away [from Towners],” McCandless said.

Located on the corner of Thompson and Palmer, the building was recently painted a grassy green color by McCandless to reflect the healthy herbs used in his recipes. “I wanted to keep my interior simple with an urban feel,” he said, noting that he plans for the space to be updated as time moves along.

McCandless is from Fishtown and grew up just around the corner from where he opened his shop. Prior to opening Towners, he “bounced around the city, hopping from job to job.” Most recently, he worked at Calle de Sabor, or as he calls it, “the infamous taco truck.”

McCandless’ love of juices inspired him to open his own juice bar. “I was overweight when I was 18, but I adopted a healthy lifestyle through making juices. I want to share my creations with other Fishtown residents.”

What was simply a lifestyle choice has blossomed into a career opportunity for McCandless. “Lifestyle changes for the better are a beautiful thing. I myself have undergone one. Knowing there’s the slight chance someone may find inspiration in my colorful drinks and food is inspiration enough to get my shop going,” McCandless said.

McCandless believes that Fishtown “needed a juicery” and is a fan of cold-pressing his juices rather than grinding vegetables and fruit. According to a 2014 article by U.S News & World Report, cold-pressed juices are a healthier alternative to regular juices because using high-pressure squeezing mechanisms preserves the food’s natural enzymes and also have a longer shelf life than unpasteurized juices and serve as key detoxers in the body.

In addition to fruitful drinks, McCandless also plans to have gluten-free and vegan meal options on his menu. “One of my dishes is going to be a sweet potato melt, garnished with fresh herbs,” he said.

McCandless is currently working hard to set up his new cafe. For the most part, he has been alone in making this venture happen, working with only a few helping hands along the way. “I‘ve had my father and a friend of mine, Jeremy, help with renovations,” McCandless said. “I’d like to thank the both of them, my family, Mike, Billy, Ryan and Danni S.” McCandless is also hoping to hire help to cover the front counter while he prepares drinks in the back.

McCandless doesn’t have an opening date set but he is moving at a quick pace to get his juice bar open for business. “I’m hoping to have the place up and running by September.”

You can keep up with McCandless and Towners Juice Bar by following the business on Instagram @towners.juicery.

The Spirit | Hyperlocal done differently
Advertise Now

Related News