Photo by Erin Nelson.
Ava Fields takes an order for a customer at Clean Juice in Tattersall Park in Hoover on June 12.
After her mom was diagnosed with a brain tumor called glioblastoma, Chelsea resident Shirley Hall began looking for ways to help her get healthier by eating organic and following a non-GMO diet.
Hall found it difficult to find those healthy options at most restaurants in the area, so when she found out that the Tattersall Park location of Clean Juice was for sale, she was immediately interested.
“We were at lunch with our friends on Easter, talking about how hard it is to find in Birmingham, and Clean Juice is the only USDA-certified organic food place around here,” Hall said. “My friend told me it was for sale, and I was on the phone the next day with the owner.”
The restaurant originally opened in spring 2020 and held a re-grand opening in July of this year. Clean Juice began in 2015 and now has 130 locations across the country, and this is the second in Alabama, along with one in Mountain Brook that opened last year.
Hall and her husband, Brett, spent several weeks in May at Clean Juice headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, learning about how to make the juices and menu items and the supervisory and operations side of the business.
Brett will manage the location, and Shirley said she will be in as her schedule allows. She has worked as a real estate agent for the past eight years and will continue that.
“This will mainly be Brett’s gig,” she said. “Everything we do, we do together. I will be supporting him as best I can.”
Clean Juice offers fresh pressed juices and the ingredients are placed into juicers for each order.
“We literally put the produce into the juicer one by one,” Shirley Hall said. “Our customers can watch us make their drink.”
Other drink options include smoothies and cold-pressed juices. Cleanse packets and wellness shots are also available. Instead of sugar, Clean Juice uses all-natural sweeteners including honey, date paste and maple syrup.
The food menu includes an assortment of different toast options, such as the peanut butter toast topped with organic items: bananas, coconut chips, chia seeds, goji berries and honey.
Nine acai bowls are available, each with their own signature toppings. Wraps and sandwiches are both warmed on a panini press. The three salad options are all between 370-420 calories. The kids menu features a cheesy wrap, peanut butter apple wrap and kid-size smoothies.
“It’s not fast food but it’s not slow food,” Hall said. “It’s a good menu and everything is really delicious. You feel good about eating it and feeding it to your kids because it’s healthy.”
Hall mentioned that Clean Juice is having a summer promotion called $6 summer, with featured items for $6.
“We will have all kinds of specials and standing promotions, such as a free kids smoothie with purchase of adult smoothie or item on Mondays,” she said.
Clean Juice is a faith-based company, and the Halls welcome those who want to meet for bible studies, women’s nights and more. They also want to give back to the community and plan to host spirit nights for schools, among other events.
No renovations are planned for the store, but the Halls do plan to utilize the limited outdoor space with tables and chairs. Hours will be extended in the evenings, and the location will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Catering is also available.
For those who haven’t tried Clean Juice yet, Hall urges them to give it a try as a “yummy way to get fruits and veggies.” She and Brett are open to the possibility of more stores in the future, but for now they want to get on their feet with the first one.
Clean Juice is located at 6215 Tattersall Blvd., Suite 101. For information, visit cleanjuice.com/locations/greystone.
