Smoothie King returns to Tupelo, to open in Market Center
Dec. 28—TUPELO — Smoothie King is returning to the birthplace of the King of Rock 'n Roll.
The world's largest smoothie company first opened a location in Tupelo in 2009 in the King's Crossing shopping center, where it closed a few years later.
According to a Facebook post from franchise owner Malcom Jackson, a new location will open in the 63,000-square-foot Market Center, which currently houses Old Navy, Shoe Carnival, Carter's and others. Smoothie King will go in the space once occupied by Bop's Frozen Custard.
Jackson, a Tupelo native, wrote in a Facebook post, "Smoothie King #1602 coming soon" and showed photos of the space. Jackson also has a store in Memphis and said he's had the Tupelo franchise since 2018.
The Daily Journal was unable to reach Jackson for comment.
Smoothie King was founded in 1973 by Steve and Cindy Kuhnau in Kenner, Louisiana. In 2012, Wan Kim — a South Korean Smoothie King franchisee since 2002 — bought the company from the Kuhnaus. He is the company's CEO.
According to its website, Smoothie King "continues its mission to inspire a healthy and active lifestyle through its Clean Blends initiative, which focuses on great-tasting smoothies with more whole fruits and vegetables while removing artificial flavors, colors and preservatives and added sugars in many of its blends."
The franchise has been ranked No. 1 by Entrepreneur magazine in the juice bar category for the last 27 years, ranked No.19 overall on the "2021 Franchise 500" list and debuted on the Inc. 5000 list in 2018. The company also offers retail products that include sports beverages, energy bars, vitamins, supplements and more.
