A husband and wife team who started Nips Juice House in Waldorf, Md. will open a second location in Silver Spring this summer.
Chris and Chiara Donovan will bring their concept, which they opened in June 2018, to the former Jimmy John’s location at 8710 Cameron St.
The Nips website tells their story of how, growing up poor in the South Bronx, they didn’t have any knowledge of, or access to, a healthy diet. It wasn’t until joining the military and the experiences they had that led them to understand how the food and diet and affect the body.
They got into juicing as a way to maintain a healthy lifestyle while coping with the time it takes to keep up with work, commutes and their son’s activities.
They eventually started making juices for friends and family, and it grew into a business.
“All the juices are made in house using a hydraulic cold-press juice machine, Chris Donovan said. “All juices are made in house, mixed together and bottled at the Waldorf location.”
A sample of the juice menu includes Apple Aide (apple, cucumber, lemon, mint), Island Breeze (watermelon, pineapple, cucumber, lime, mint), OG Carrot (orange, carrot, ginger), Rose (carrot, apples, beets, pineapple, lemon) and more.
Nips also offers a wide choice of smoothies and bowls, largely fruit-based but some enhanced with additions such as granola, honey, pumpkin seeds or kale.
The couple also sells juice cleanse packages, Donovan said, a practice that is used to clean out the digestive system.
“The way the cleanse works is you consume nothing but juices and tons and tons of water for three to five days,” Donovan said. “Some people do it as long as 30 days.”
Not only does the practice cleanse, but it also gives the digestive system a break, Donovan said.
“You don’t realize how much work we put our digestive system through breaking down all the foods we consume,” he added.
The two are looking forward to coming to Silver Spring for a couple of reasons, Donovan said.
“I’m a city kid,” he said. “That energy, that city energy, it really attracts us, and it feels like our type of business was missing in that area.”
He acknowledged the Smoothie King on Fenton Street, but said “We’re a lot different than they are in the production of the end product.”
The couple’s end goal is to franchise the juice house. The Waldorf location is in a shopping center, and that’s one type of business operation, Donovan said. The urban location in Silver Spring is a chance to master another type of environment and create a blueprint for potential franchisees.
In the meantime, work on the new location is expected to begin this weekend. Donovan hopes to be open in early to mid-July.
News of the business was first reported on Montgomery Business Scene’s Instagram feed.
Graphic courtesy Nips Juice House.