A new healthy shake establishment is set to open in Dinkytown this week.
Positive Vibes Nutrition will be located at 1316 4th St. SE., Suite 6 in the indoor retail corridor. The establishment’s owners say Positive Vibes will meet a demand for healthy options.
“This opportunity came, and we took it,” said Dominick Dahmen, co-owner of the new health club. “[The shakes] taste amazing.”
Dahmen, 21, will run the new club with his fiancee, 22-year-old Christine Douglas. Dahmen said he grew up in a fitness-centered atmosphere because his parents have run a similar establishment for about 18 years.
The club will sell shakes, tea, energy drinks and power bars. Protein shake flavors will range from blueberry almond cheesecake to peanut butter cup to banana cream pie. Energy drink flavors include Grape Vine and Skittles.
The location previously housed another nutrition shop, The Shake Shoppe (previously Go-4 Nutrition) until it moved to downtown Minneapolis earlier this year.
Dahmen said he’s excited to bring healthier options to Dinkytown.
“We’re so close to campus. … We’re going to be a great healthy option in that spot for people,” he said.
Dinkytown lacks healthy food options amid many fast food joints, said University of Minnesota junior Anna Bougie. The new club would be place to stop by for something both quick and healthy, she said.
“I would definitely go,” she said. “If there were more places like that on campus, people would utilize them.”
Other health-focused businesses like LIV TRU Nutrition, Crisp & Green and SIMPLS, have all opened around campus recently.
A new healthy establishment, while intriguing, could still struggle, said Randal Gast, owner of Dinkytown Qdoba.
“I hope it works out. Everybody likes to see more diversity in the business landscape of Dinkytown,” he said. “It’s really whether the marketplace is going to respond and support it.”
Gast also said students seem more willing to try new things, which could help the establishment succeed.
Dinkytown is in the middle of several communities that might benefit from the product, including students, Greek life and athletes, Dahmen said.
“[It’s] just a great opportunity to be apart of the U of M community,” he said.
