Page 5 - The Wayne Dispatch

Tropical smoothie cafe opens in Wayne

By Carolyn Marnon
Bringing it’s relaxed coastal at-
mosphere to downtown Wayne, Trop-
ical Smoothie Café opened August 9
in the Rite Aid plaza at the corner of
Wayne Rd. and E. Michigan Ave
(35131 E. Michigan Ave.)
If you aren’t familiar with Tropi-
cal Smoothie Café, the franchise pro-
motes eating better to feel better. The
menu features toasted flatbreads,
pressed sandwiches, signature
wraps and bowls, and quesadillas.
You can order classic smoothies and
superfood smoothies (such as an Is-
land Green made of spinach, kale,
mango, pineapple and banana or the
fun-to-say Avocolada with avocado,
pineapple, spinach, kale, coconut
and lime.) Supplements and fresh Mayor John Rhaesa along with Wayne City Council, Administration and the Wayne Chamber of Commerce welcome the owners
add-ins are available. There is also
an all-day breakfast menu and a of Tropical Smoothie Cafe Walter and Stefanie Bender to Wayne.
kids menu. Don’t forget the cookies, ment with the leaseholder couldn’t provide quality products in a clean with him or the general manager
sides and beverages. be made, so he started looking establishment with great customer (who happens to be his son.) He
This is the first Tropical around at other possible locations. service. The majority of his staff are would want the details of the situa-
Smoothie Café for owner Walter Ben- He pulled into the Rite Aid plaza high school students from Wayne Me- tion to make sure it gets resolved im-
der. When he decided to become a parking lot one day and noticed sev- morial and the surrounding area. mediately.
franchisee, he wanted to open a loca- eral vacant spaces. He called the Most are in their first job. Walter is This goes back to his goal of pro-
tion in the Belleville or Ann Arbor property manager and voila! he had trying to teach these teenagers what viding great customer service. Walt
territory. The franchise office asked his space. The location is a good it’s like to have a job, the discipline speaks so enthusiastically about
if he would be willing to open the lo- choice, Walter says, because there is that is needed at a job, how to take Tropical Smoothie Café and the fact
cation in Wayne, which their market easy access to the plaza from any di- direction and respect order. that he is there all the time (and if he
demographics had shown would be rection and there is plenty of park- Walter says he is working on a isn’t, his son is.) As he spoke about
a growth market. He jumped at the ing. The Biggby location had limited Happy Hour event for the future and his business, he was opening the
chance. “It was a no-brainer for me. parking and after he and his employ- currently runs Military Monday door for customers as they entered
I didn’t hesitate.” Walter is a member ees parked, there would only be a where military veterans can get 25% and exited, greeting customers, and
of New Hope Church in Wayne and is few spaces for customers to park. off their order all day Mondays. A shaking hands, all with a bright wel-
quite familiar with downtown Wayne. The plaza landlord gutted the space customer must show proof of their coming smile.
Although he lives in Novi, he says the down to an empty shell which Walter military status (DD214) or current If you haven’t already, take some
15-minute drive to Wayne provides and his crew transformed into the military ID card to receive the offer. time to stop by this latest business
him time to collect his thoughts and coastal muted warm colors (orange With the high standards Walter in downtown Wayne and give it that
prepare for the new day. The fran- and turquoise) warm wood and met- has set for his business, he is hope- great Wayne community hospitality
chise originally steered Walter to the als you’ll find when you step inside. ful that problems will be few. If a cus- we all share. Let Walt know he made
former Biggby Coffee site on W. “The community has been very re- tomer were to have a problem, he an excellent choice when he made
Michigan Ave. Walter said an agree- ceptive,” says Walter. His goals are to asks that they call and ask to speak the decision to invest in Wayne.

The Wayne Dispatch · September 2019 · 5