Connecticut-based smoothie chain Fresh Monkee is permitted to build-out in Ponte Vedra Beach, its first store in Northeast Florida.
St. Johns County issued the permit Aug. 19 at a project cost of $137,440. Jacksonville-based Interior Buildouts is the contractor.
The shop is planned at 330 Florida A1A N., Suite 300, in the Shoppes of Ponte Vedra, replacing Le Macaron French Pastries.
The Ponte Vedra/Palm Valley Architectural Review Committee approved the smoothie establishment’s wall sign July 23. Taylor Sign & Design of St. Augustine is the installer.
Other businesses in the shopping center include Bellezza Salon and Boutique, JJ’s Liberty Bistro and Talbots.
Fresh Monkee was established in 2014 in Glastonbury, Connecticut. On its website, founder Judy Flynn said, “My quest to find a truly healthy protein shake began in 2014. Back then, too many places relied on mystery powders and sugary flavor shots, calling them ‘healthy.’ I knew we could do better.”
Smoothies on Fresh Monkee’s menu include cinnamon toast, made with milk, vanilla protein, Nutella, nutmeg, graham crackers and banana; antioxidant berry, made with coconut water, pomegranate juice, orange juice, vanilla protein and mixed berries; and Filthy Monkee, made with milk, chocolate protein, a brownie protein bar and peanut butter.
Smoothie prices range from $9.25 to $12.50.
Fresh Monkee has another Florida shop in Davie, west of Fort Lauderdale, according to the company website. It shows other stores in the state are “coming soon” in Jacksonville, Palm Harbor and Tampa.
The company, which franchises, has 22 locations across Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Texas, according to freshmonkee.com
The site says 25 more are “coming soon” in those states and in South Carolina.