Chapel Hill is set to be home to the first franchise location in North Carolina of an Ohio-based smoothie bar.
Pulp Juice & Smoothie Bar is preparing to join the Franklin Street business scene, taking up shop at 100 West Franklin Street at the corner of Franklin and Columbia Streets. The business — which has most of its 60 locations in Ohio, but has branched out to Pennsylvania, South Carolina and West Virginia — is known for its smoothies, juices, blended bowls and healthy lifestyle food options.
Alexandra Smith, who is the manager and co-owner of the Chapel Hill location, confirmed the plans with Chapelboro and described the business venture as a family affair with her husband, Nathan, and her father, Bill Brooks. The family has ties to North Carolina, but the Pulp Juice franchise represents their first foray into Chapel Hill — and to running a Pulp. Smith said she and her husband fondly remember having Pulp smoothies and juices when going to college at Kent State, which is one of the business’ first locations. After connecting with its owner, Thom Knepp, they realized their parents knew each other and a friendship bloomed.
Smith said Knepp approached them about exploring a Pulp Juice expansion to North Carolina and the group targeted Chapel Hill last summer. When she, Nathan and their infant child visited in August 2023, they dropped by UNC campus and realized this was the spot for them.
“It just so happened to be move-in day that day,” Smith remembered, “so you really felt that family [element]. It was one of our favorite days, and we felt really nostalgic about our own college experience. We looked at each other and we were like, ‘This would be the perfect place for a Pulp.’ It just felt like the right situation and felt like an instant connection.”
Before long, the Smith and Brooks family were shown the 100 West Franklin Street space after their broker had been scouting locations. Brooks described the process — both from Pulp’s perspective and landlords Gordon and LeAnn Brown’s side — as thorough and patient. He said the Browns’ are bought in based on their excitement about both the model and the product.
“We were able to put a great team together,” Brooks said, “and we were able to find one of the best locations in all of Chapel Hill, as far as I’m concerned.”
As the Smith and Brooks family’s vision comes to fruition, the business will fill a spot in Chapel Hill that’s been challenged with long-term consistency. Most recently, 100 W. Franklin Street was the first brick-and-mortar location for Seafood Destiny, a Greensboro-based food truck, which closed after just a few months of being open. Prior to that, the storefront was Lotsa Stone Fired Pizza for more than four years before the restaurant closed during COVID-19 and has also previously been a Jasmin Medeterranian Bistro and a Qdoba Mexican Grill.
100 West Franklin Street in Chapel Hill has been vacant since Seafood Destiny closed in 2022. Before that, Lotsa Stone Fired Pizza operated there for four years. (Photo via Google Maps.)
(Photo via Pulp Juice & Smoothie Bar.)
Smith said she believes Pulp Juice’s model will bring something different, since the food and drinks are largely grab-and-go and the location will partner with DoorDash to take online orders. She also said the indoor seating will aim to be a good spot for students and community members to hang out, whether it’s studying, catching up with friends, or grabbing something after a run.
“We’re going to create this exciting energy that Pulp has throughout all the other franchises, so it’s just a concept that’s already proven to have worked in 60+ locations and the owner’s very confident about this location on Franklin Street,” Smith said. “So, I think it’s just trying out this new idea in there.”
Brooks, meanwhile, maintained that the quality of the product and its appeal to customers all ages will speak for itself.
“One try and you’re hooked,” he added. “It’s really great [food] and we’re so excited to bring it to Chapel Hill.”
Brooks also said the family plans to be very involved in the Chapel Hill and UNC business scene to both support Pulp’s longevity and Franklin Street’s local fabric.
“We’re very much looking forward to supporting the local community, supporting the college,” the co-owner said, “and anything we can to do to help support downtown Chapel Hill, that’s what we’re here to do.”
Pulp Juice & Smoothie Bar will continue its preparation to open later this year, with Smith saying they hope to be open by August to capitalize on that same energy she and her family felt when they chose Chapel Hill.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story had the incorrect name for Nathan Smith and has since been corrected.
Featured photo via Pulp Juice & Smoothie Bar — Euclid.
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