Let's Eat: Emerald City Smoothie

It's been nearly a year since Scott and Lilly Simpson took over management of Emerald City Smoothie in Ahwatukee Foothills, but they said they are just getting started.

The couple moved to the Valley from the Pacific Northwest where the franchise is headquartered. Both were loyal customers to Emerald City Smoothie back in their hometown and are making it a goal to open an Emerald City Smoothie store every year for the next 10 or 12 years.

From the original 25 stores that started in the Pacific Northwest, the company has since gone national and is now up to 110 stores across the country.

"We're giving Jamba Juice a run for their money," Scott Simpson said, adding that the company is shooting for 1,000 stores by 2017.

For the Simpsons, word of mouth is an important business strategy. They said they try to go the extra mile to build up a rapport with customers and, in the process of doing so, it pays off in the long run.

Scott says they get people coming in the door a dozen times a week saying, "My friend told me to come in here."

When Ahwatukee Foothills resident Jay Pages walked in the door, the Simpsons immediately congratulated him on taking third place in his recent jujitsu tournament.

Pages, who works at LA Boxing, says he comes in to Emerald City Smoothie an average of three to four times a week, and tells everyone at his work to do the same. He says he keeps coming back for the quality of the product.

"It's like comparing a McDonald's hamburger to actually going to a restaurant and having a restaurant-style burger," Pages said of the competition. "The quality, you can just taste it."

Emerald City Smoothie, located at 4206 E. Chandler Blvd., uses fresh fruit and berries, and all its smoothies are ice based. For supplements, they use 100 percent whey protein, and its energy mix does not include caffeine. The supplements are also for sale on the store's shelves.

Scott Simpson said the supplements are more difficult to sell in Arizona because of the abundance of vitamin stores already in existence, so he keeps his prices competitive. He said some customers have actually compared prices with them from health supplement stores down the street. The Simpsons then readjusted their prices to make them cheaper than the competition.

The Simpsons said they are constantly striving to make themselves better known in the community.

"Being the first store here, you've got your work cut out for you," Lilly Simpson said.

Scott Simpson added: "It's hard being one of the first kids on the block, but once you taste the smoothies you'll see the difference."

For more information, call (480) 706-4900 or visit www.emeraldcitysmoothie.com.

If you go

What: Emerald City Smoothie

Where: 4206 E. Chandler Blvd.

Hours: Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Information: (480) 706-4900 or www.emeraldcitysmoothie.com