HOWELL – Ready Set Juice! is having their Grand Opening this Friday, April 30 at Howell Plaza. According to the husband/wife owners Johnny and Mangeli Rodriquez, Ready Set Juice! is “on a quest to improve health.” Mangeli came up with name and tagline, Drink What Your Body Deserves, to convey energy, exercise and a nutritious way of life.

On Friday, Howell Mayor Theresa Berger, Councilman John Bonevich and other guests will join in a 9am ribbon-cutting for Ready Set Juice, a juice+ bar in Howell, NJ, at Howell Plaza Shopping Center. There will be free samples, activities and hourly raffles (11am-4pm) though out the day until just before closing at 5pm. Howell Plaza Shopping Center is located at 4134 Route 9 in Howell.

Mayor Berger and Councilman Bonevich will compete for the best smoothie. They were each asked to design a smoothie that will be sold at Ready Set Juice! with proceeds to benefit New Jersey Blood Services (NJBS), which has a donor center also located at Howell Plaza. The winner’s smoothie (based on sales) will then be sold for another two weeks and NJBS will benefit from those sales as well.

Money collected during this promotion will be used to fund a NJBS’ Bloodstock Scholarship for a local high school or college student who saves lives by organizing a blood drive and recruits donors to the drive. The Bloodstock Scholarship is an opportunity for students to demonstrate community service, leadership and team building through the planning and sponsorship of a community blood drive.

Ready Set Juice! will have a wide array of natural juices and smoothies, along with seasonal open-faced toasts and salads, will provide healthy alternatives for lunch or dinner during or after a long day at work. In addition to a menu of smoothie ingredients, there will be a shot bar featuring juicy concoctions of fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs and probiotics tailored to each patron’s preference. The space is designed with bright, clean colors and a relaxing vibe to encourage people to relax and socialize.