New Shop Serves up Healthy Shakes and Teas
Writer / Shelly Sack
Photographer / Jon Ellegood
When moving from Memphis, Tennessee, to Carmel, Rachel Webster packed her love of sales and entrepreneurial spirit and brought them along to create what became Zionsville Nutrition Hub.
Customers can choose between shakes ($8) or teas ($6), with booster add-ons that target key nutrients for help with muscles and the immune system. The theme is fun, with names like Birthday Cake, Brownie Batter, and Elvis, but the focus is nutrition.
They taste good but fit into a healthy pocket, Webster says. I want our stores to be what people think of when they think of nutrition.
She opened her first store in Nora across from North Central High School in February of 2020, a mere two months after relocating, and it has been bustling since, often featuring a line to the door. This summer, the unexpected opportunity came to open a second store in a desirable location in Zionsville, sandwiched between two fitness centers.
The idea behind Zionsville Nutrition Hub came from a similar store in Memphis that Webster used to frequent.
My favorite shake, and what started all this craziness, was the Blueberry Muffin, she says. I kind of fell in love with it because to me, it is a healthy fast food. Its quick and easy to grab and go.
The fall menu will have pumpkin flavors, and specialty shake and tea flavors are featured monthly. All shakes stay within the 200 to 250 calorie range, and they have 24 grams of protein and 21 vitamins and minerals. Supplements such as potassium and protein are suggested for those with sore muscles, and while the regular Herbalife brand base is soy, there are also plant bases and whey products.
The tea menu received Websters special attention during business shutdowns last year, and she focused on creating a loaded tea menu, featuring more than 100 recipes. These include green, raspberry, lemon, peach and pomegranate to name a few, and are paired with a lift-off energy booster that has B vitamins, natural caffeine, vitamin C and a splash of aloe water.
They really have put us on the map in the Indy area for the unique and fun range they provide, Webster says.
She jokingly refers to her staff as healthy bartenders, and is quick to point out that they serve up a side of nutrition education along with the drinks.
Because we serve a healthier product than others in this atmosphere, people want to know whats in it and why, Webster says. Why drink a tea versus a Gatorade? We talk a lot of nutrition. Theres a lot of interaction.
When my husband asked about moving, I said I really loved the Memphis nutrition place, she continues. I loved the product and what they did. We scouted locations over a few visits and began the buildout of the first store, and opened up in the middle of the fun with COVID and did everything we could to stay open. We delivered, offered curbside, and had delivery services like GrubHub. We never closed, just limited our hours, kept our head down and just tried to stay open. People needed a place to go they could count on, and it worked out well. I saw the Zionsville spot and I couldnt pass it up.
She describes the Zionsville store as calm and serene. The counter, stools and tables, along with the Instagram wall bench, encourage people to sit and relax, with some regulars even bringing in their laptops while they enjoy their drinks.
I think one of the things people like most about coming in is its just a place where people are kind, and they enjoy coming, Webster says. We hear stories about peoples kids and lives, and we enjoy talking with our customers. Everybodys very personable.
Zionsville Nutrition Hub is located at 10895 North Michigan Road, Suite 120 in Zionsville. For more info, visit facebook.com/zvillehub.
