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Blends: Serving up products made with fresh fruit, vegetables

Business Showcase

MARILYN FISHER, RIGHT, and Dave and Yvonne Slattery on Feb. 1 opened Blends — The Green Spot in Suite 3 at 415 S. Stephenson Ave. in downtown Iron Mountain. Blends offers a variety of fresh juices, smoothies, fusion blends, cold brews and chia parfait bowls. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — The idea behind the new Iron Mountain downtown business Blends — The Green Spot was simple: To give the community a healthy alternative.

Marilyn Fisher, along with her son and daughter-in-law, Dave and Yvonne Slattery, opened the business Feb. 1 in Suite 3 at 415 S. Stephenson Ave.

Blends offers a variety of juices, smoothies, fusion blends, cold brews and chia parfait bowls, all made from 100% fresh fruits and vegetables.

Each one of the blends supplies the body with a high concentration of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, Fisher said.

With the motto “Eat the rainbow and feel the joy,” their goal is to serve the highest quality products and make health and enjoyment a priority.

MARILYN FISHER STOCKS the cooler with fresh juices for “grab-and-go” customers at Blends — The Green Spot in downtown Iron Mountain. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News photo)

Fisher believes their services fill a need in the area. “We have already received good response,” she said. “People are happy we are here and we are happy to be here.”

The shop juices a variety of flavors daily that are bottled and available in the cooler, so customers can just grab and go.

“We have several that already come in and buy it (juice) by the six-pack because they haven’t been able to buy anything locally before,” she said.

Juices are available for purchase in growlers and quarters as well. They ask to give them a little advance notice, as those sizes do require juicing a lot of vegetables and fruits.

Raw juice supports a healthy gut, Fisher said. “It has healthy enzymes, probiotics and prebiotics and also replenishes your bodies electrolyte and hydration needs naturally,” she said.

Other than the bottled juices, everything else is made to order.

They also have elixir shots that can provide a quick boost to the body when needed.

The fusion blends are similar to smoothies, with some extra greens.

“The fusion blends is like a whole meal in a glass, and also providing you a day’s worth of your leafy greens,” Fisher said. “It’s high in fiber and gives you long-lasting energy.”

Cold brews provide a little caffeine along with great taste. “These have been pretty popular already,” she said.

None of the menu items are made with processed sugar or syrups. To sweeten, “you can add amber agave or maple syrup,” she said.

They offer three different chia parfait bowls, which are made of fresh fruits, nuts and seeds.

Blends also has “Give Your Body A Break” — a juice fasting program. Customers have the option of just one day to several, depending on what they prefer.

Cleanses aim to “reboot” the body’s systems to get ready for healthier eating. But Blends recommends those who have never cleansed before first talk to their doctor.

Blends also bakes fresh goodies, including special bran muffins with homemade applesauce, poppy seed loaf, red velvet beet muffins with raspberry glaze, and carrot and fruit loaf.

In addition, they have Belly Timber Bites, a healthy on-the-go snack.

The trio spend a lot of time testing to create some good tastes for the menu.

“We have a lot of regulars already,” Fisher said. “We just have to spread the word now.”

They were a little quiet about their opening, as they wanted to make sure they were efficient for their customers, Fisher said.

She also thought now was a good time to open and provide the public with a healthy option, given the coronavirus pandemic.

“You want to eat healthy to boost their immune system so you are less likely to become sick,” she said.

Fisher has been in the food business for 45 years. She, along with her late husband, also owned nine restaurants across the country, including one in Marinette, Wis.

“I was the chef in every one of them, with my husband out front,” she said. “Because we were both designers, we created some really fun, nice places.”

Fisher developed the menus for all locations. “I love food and cooking,” she said.

She owned a spice business they traveled all over with as well.

With each one, they’d build up the business and then sell it and move on, Fisher said. That continued until her husband’s death.

She moved back to the area about three years ago to be closer to her son and daughter-in-law. They were already juicing at home when they decided last year to develop it into a business.

One thing Blends hopes to offer in the future is Buddha bowls, a typically vegetarian or vegan one-bowl meal that can include rice, legumes, fresh vegetables and plant proteins.

“I would love to serve some nice healthy salads at lunchtime,” she added.

Blends plans to have special each month as well as seasonal items added to the menu.

Fisher added that if this “catches on” they may expand to sell fresh packaged foods like nuts and seeds, or bulk foods such as heirloom beans that can’t be purchased in most stores.

Blends is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. The store is closed on Sundays and Mondays. During the summer, they will adjust their hours to accommodate for the Downtown Farmers Market.

Customers can call in orders at 906-396-1888.

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