Popular smoothie chain plants its roots in Panama City. Take a peek inside
PANAMA CITY — A fast-growing smoothie chain has expanded to Panama City and it claims to have the best-tasting smoothies on the planet.
The newest Planet Smoothie opened its doors Jan. 27 in Panama City at 524 Hawkins Ave. in the Bay City Point shopping plaza, next to Hobby Lobby. The store operates Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
After three weeks in operation, owner and franchisee Victor Patel said it’s a great feeling to receive and hear all the positive feedback from new and returning customers every day. He added that Panama City was the ideal place for Planet Smoothie’s first panhandle location because of the city’s growth.
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“Business has been fantastic since we’ve opened,” Patel said. “Every day we see new faces, and we’ve already had a lot of people coming back for more. I’ve lived in the area since 2009, so I know this a great area where families and friends hang around, so we’re just excited to be here.”
Planet Smoothie boasts nearly 40 smoothies on its menu with options of protein, energy, meal replacement smoothies and more. Every smoothie is made to order and can be customized with substitutions of any fresh fruits or ingredients. In addition, the business offers kids, specialty and plant-based smoothies as well as gourmet cookies and jerky options.
“We use all real fruits and no added sugars unless requested,” Patel said. “This is what makes our brand so unique.”
Since opening, Patel said the most popular selections include The Last Mango, a blend of mango, peaches, bananas and orange sherbet; Road Runner, which includes blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, energy blast and orange juice; and the Mango Passion, with mango, passion fruit, strawberries and energy blast.
Patel, who is running the shop with his brother Vinod, said it was a bumpy journey getting the shop where it is today. They initially anticipated opening in late 2022 but faced many contracting and plumbing issues, which set the opening date back two months.
Despite this, he said they remained positive and knew it would be worth the hassle. They look forward to hosting a grand opening celebration within the next month. Once the business gets flowing, Patel said he plans to get involved in local events and festivals throughout Bay County to build their face in the community.
“We’re just glad to be up and running and excited that we were able to bring the first Planet Smoothie location to the local area,” Patel said. “We want to give everyone the opportunity to try us out."
The new Panama City store is looking for full-time employees to contribute to the team. Applications can be picked up at the store or submitted online at PlanetSmoothie.com.
With the first store opening in 1995 in Atlanta, the Planet Smoothie franchise is rapidly growing with over 100 open stores spread throughout the country. Looking into the future, Patel said he hopes to open more locations in Bay County and is eyeing markets in Callaway, Lynn Haven and Panama City Beach.
“There’s nothing here like Planet Smoothie, and I want to grow this brand in the region,” Patel said. “Once we get business steadily flowing here, we hope to eventually expand to another location in Bay County where ever we see fit.”
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: The Panhandle's first Planet Smoothie opens in Panama City
