Crisp & Green will open in spring on Madison Avenue in Mankato

Tim Krohn, The Free Press, Mankato, Minn.
·2 min read

Feb. 3—MANKATO — Last spring, a rapidly expanding healthy restaurant chain called Crisp and Green announced it would open in Mankato.

Now, the chain says the Mankato location will be open this spring at 1351 Madison Avenue, the strip mall where Fitness for 10 and 1000 Degree Pizza is located.

The company has been busy building new restaurants and inking deals for many more around the country.

The Minnesota-based company announced this week it has signed a 40-unit development deal with franchise partner Rory Kelly of Salads & Smoothies. This company has a goal of opening 50 locations across 15 additional states before the end of this year.

Salad & Smoothies already had an 11-store agreement with Crisp & Green. This new deal will bring more locations in Minnesota, as well as Phoenix, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Cleveland and others.

Crisp & Green founder and CEO Steele Smiley, who started with a Crisp & Green in Wayzata in 2016, said in an earlier interview with The Free Press that there had been requests from Mankato area residents for a restaurant here.

"We've had over 500 inquiries to come to Mankato from guests who live there and drive to the cities to one of our stores," Smiley said.

"Typically smaller cities wouldn't get this kind of offering or would have to wait 10 years. But I've always believed everyone who wants to eat and live healthy should have it available and it shouldn't just be available for big cities."

Smiley said they have a "Commitment to Community" brand pillar that focuses on free exercise classes. Throughout the past five years, Crisp & Green has hosted more than 1,000 fitness events nationwide.

"We host outdoor activities in the summer at our restaurants. It's a great way to connect to the community and they're all complimentary. It gives people a chance to try some new things," he said. "We'll partner with different fitness facilities and pay the instructor to do the sessions."

Smiley said coastal brands have tended to ignore the Upper Midwest. "They've long considered us flyover country. But I've always known the uniqueness of this culture and the spirit of our people."

Many Crisp & Green offerings are in the $12-$18 range. They include build-your-own bowls or signature bowls.

The company has a nine-member culinary team that creates different bowls. Smiley said 90% of customers order the signature bowls while the rest build their own.

One signature bowl is the "Pep in Your Step," which has mixed greens, spinach, roasted chicken, roasted cauliflower, radicchio, candied pecans, marinated golden raisins, bleu cheese and peppercorn tahini yogurt dressing. The "Thai & Stop Me" features arugula, mixed greens, citrus shrimp, orange slices, daikon radish, Napa cabbage, carrot, basil, mint, cilantro, peanuts, lime squeeze and Thai peanut dressing.