Pit Stop
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Meghan Winkler
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Meghan Winkler
While attending Kent State University, Jason Carpinelli wished there was a convenient spot that offered healthy vegan food and fresh fruit. So in 2021, he opened one — the Fruit Stand, which now has locations in Kent, Cleveland and Broadview Heights.
“Kent needed … a quick, affordable fruit bowl,” he says. “Most college students aren’t cutting up a bunch of fruit.”
The spot offers bowls ($7.99-$9.99) with a smoothie, sliced fruit, oatmeal or pound cake base, which people can then top with fresh fruit — melons are popular during the summer — crunchies like graham crackers, nuts or chia seeds and drizzles like peanut butter made from just peanuts and sea salt or honey made in Ohio’s Amish Country. It sources fruit from a Cleveland supplier for maximum freshness.
“We’re buying from the same company that sells to grocery stores, but the only difference is we’re using it the same day,” Carpinelli says.
The most popular pick is the dairy-free smoothie base, which is made by blending coconut cream and fruit puree, with no added sugar. The wildberry acai smoothie, made with strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry and acai purees, shines.
“Acai by itself is very tart, not sweet, kind of tangy. So we add the other berries to make it taste a lot better and still get the health benefits of acai,” he says. “They’re loaded with antioxidants, fibers, vitamins, minerals. It’s a superfood.”
One summery bowl starts with a peach smoothie base and is topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries and peaches, as well as chocolate peanut butter granola and coconut flakes.
“You have the smooth texture of the smoothie base and then a crunchy granola,” Carpinelli says.
The granola, which is made by a Millersburg bakery, also comes in flavors like birthday cake, vanilla and blueberry almond, and they’re all made with coconut oil instead of butter or margarine. More drizzles include almond butter from Nosh Butters in Cuyahoga Falls or Nutella for a healthy treat. Carpinelli has seen a customer at the Kent location getting a breakfast bowl and at the Cleveland store that night getting a dessert bowl for a nourishing boost.
“Fruit is an all-day type of thing,” he says. “We’re trying to be as simple and as clean as possible.” AS
175 E. Erie St., Suite 201, Kent,
thefruitstandohio.com
