Hawaiian 'super fruit' Shaka Café opens in Howell

HOWELL — A couple of "gym rats" and two of their friends have brought a little piece of Hawaii to Howell.

Shaka Café, which specializes in "super fruit bowls," cold-pressed juices, smoothies, gourmet toast, grab-and-go snacks, and other healthy food options, recently opened at 1123 E. Grand River Ave. in the Promenade Center.

Husband and wife duo Casey and Amber Felkins fell in love with acai fruit bowls filled with ingredients like granola, coconut, honey and other foods while visiting their son at the Marine Corps Base in Hawaii.

The newly opened café is bright and beachy, with a floor that makes it seem customers are walking on the ocean. Other tropical décor includes a surfboard-inspired wooden table and a real palm. There's also a piece of Howell: A long bench was cut from a single pine tree that fell in a storm.

"It was important for us to build a calm, relaxation-type place. We want people to come in here and have a conversation and to laugh and be with people they care about," Casey said.

The couple brought coworker Thinh Tran and neighbor Brad Savino — who recently co-founded new Genoa Township-based design firm Prima Creative — on board as co-owners.

The café sells 1st Phorm nutritional supplements, like protein powders, green supplements and vitamins. Customers can add supplements to their fruit bowls and smoothies.

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"We want to promote health culture, and we also want to make it fast and efficient for people," Casey said.

Eventually the eatery plans to add paninis, salads, and more grab-and-go foods to the menu.

If all goes well, they plan to open more locations in the future.

— Contact reporter Jennifer Eberbach at jeberbach@livingstondaily.com. 

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Hawaiian 'super fruit' Shaka Café opens in Howell