SOUTHPORT CORRIDOR — There's some news on Southport, and boy is it juicy.
Real Good Juice Co. will replace Banh Mi Ba Get on the Southport Corridor, and is expected to open in December after three months of renovations.
The small garden-level storefront at 3548 N. Southport Ave. has been dark since the spring before Banh Mi shut down for good in June.
Now renovations are underway for the second Real Good Juice Co. The company first set up shop in Old Town in 2014 and offers nine flavors of cold-pressed juices, a line of smoothies and a handful of other tasty treats.
The 16-ounce juices cost $6-$11 and come packed with the power of three pounds of produce in each bottle. Cleverly named after pop culture figures like Whitney Juice-ton and Juice-tin Bieber, the beverages offer special benefits like boosting the immune system and relieving stress, the menu claims.
Smoothies are $8.95 and are made with similarly fresh ingredients. Customers can also create their own smoothies and add superfoods like bee pollen, flax seed oil and chia seeds.
In the two years since first opening, Real Good Juice has expanded into a handful of Whole Foods stores and Studio Three in River North. The Lakeview location will be its second complete location.
Banh Mi Ba Get in Southport closed June 9. [DNAinfo/Ariel Cheung]
Real Good Juice Co. will also expand its menu, adding meals beyond its current offerings of beverages and snacks like coconut yogurt, salad and food balls.
Like its juices, the food will be be made with produce from local, organic farms, co-owner Jon Schiff. Together with Southport resident Gordy Sang, Schiff said they've been trying out recipes and play to test some at the Old Town location starting this month.
"We would rather buy produce that travels 100 miles than 1,000 miles," Schiff said. "It's harvested that day or that week as opposed to sitting on a flat bed for three weeks."
Real Good Juice Co. currently has its flagship location in Old Town, plus space inside several Whole Foods stores. [Provided/Real Good Juice Co.]
While the owners are staying mum on the details of what will be served, Schiff said they'll be sharing some sneak peeks of food on their Instagram and Facebook accounts over the next week.
Inside, the 500-square-foot restaurant will look similar to the Old Town location, but with special touches from Navillus Woodworks, the company that helped design Revival Food Hall.
For neighbors curious about what's coming to the shop, Schiff — who quit his job as a Wall Street trader to get into the juice biz — recommends visiting the Old Town location or the Whole Foods in Lincoln Park. There will also be some special events like pop-ups in the neighborhood ahead of the December opening, he said.
"The Southport community is really special," Schiff said. "And we think bringing real good food to the Southport community like we did in Old Town is going to be a success."
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