When Raul Rodriguez and John Corona opened Movita Juice Bar, they knew they wanted to focus on healthfulness. Under the current conditions, their second location in Long Beach, which will be at 1775 Ximeno Avenue, couldn’t come at a better time.
Movita started when one of the partners’ children fell ill with cancer. The doctors told him to avoid processed, canned, and sweetened foods, and he realized that people shouldn’t have to wait for a diagnosis to change their diet and lifestyle. Corona said that the business has been growing in popularity since the coronavirus pandemic has caused a shift in focus to public health.
“We don’t have a freezer in the stores,” Rodriquez told What Now Los Angeles. “We don’t use sugar in the stores. The inspiration was based on health. We wanted to be a healthy alternative. We aren’t in the business of refreshment. We are in the business of health.”
What sets Movita apart further is that through relationships with local farmers, Corona and Rodriguez have been able to keep their prices accessible. None of their drinks cost more than $6.99, and their acai bowls don’t go over $9.99 on their online menu.
“We try our best to bring the best organic products to market at an affordable price. Being organic and being fresh is what we look for,” said Corona. “Our produce is no more than a day picked.”
Movita’s best-selling items are its Detox juice and its Meal Replacement smoothie, along with the comparatively indulgent Banana Nutella acai bowl. They have nine locations, including another store in Long Beach at 421 W Broadway Ste. 461. The landlord of the upcoming Long Beach location, which will open during this quarter, was represented by Jennifer Meade of Beta Agency in the transaction. There are also plans for a South Gate outpost, at 8616 Garfield Ave. #103, which is expected to debut in roughly three months, and a location near USC could open within two to four weeks, according to Rodriquez.
