For those not into the Jager shot-karaoke late night scene, coffee shops can often make a good hangout spot – as long as they’re not too droll. You want the interaction and social involvement, but without the nightclub. You want some sassy fun, but not the hangover.



Where do you go and what do you do?



There’s a lack of interesting options in Pierce County, hence my excitement at learning about the alternative beverage destination (alt-bev bar) opening in Tacoma appropriately named Smooth & Juicey — which is part organic juice bar, part coffee bar co-owned by Satellite Coffee Co. and the brainchild of Thane and Patricia Lecy-Davis of Embellish Multispace Salon.



When I received an invitation to Smooth & Juicey’s pre-opening event fund-raiser, which happened last Tuesday, March 31, my excitement only increased. It provided an excellent opportunity to check out Smooth & Juicy’s future home in downtown Tacoma – where it will soon occupy the space below Embellish.



I arrived at 5:30 p.m., just as the invite directed, and walked right in the huge roll-up garage bay door. The Market Street ground floor entrance is large enough to store a plane. Patricia’s Embellish Multispace Salon sits on the floor above.



I follow the voices and duck around a tarp and voila, I’m standing in the future space of Smooth & Juicey, which will occupy the right front half of the massive purple building. There’s Thane, he walks over pointing at what will be the back wall, a soaring two-story focal point, and says “The wood’s from a deck I tore off a house up in Packwood. I’ve been hauling the planks around, knew I’d want them for something and just run them through a planer. When we started this I knew that’s what I’d do and put them up.”



The wall is impressive, and so is the wood, a rough warm blonde with leftover blue deck paint still showing through where the planer didn’t peel it off entirely. It gives out a wonderful feel, like seeing the barn where you rode horses as a child or remembering the tree fort your dad helped you put up. And even though I’m freezing, standing on bare cement with chalk outlines designating the layout of the alternative beverage bar, that wall alone tells me the space will be a vibrant, comfortable beacon for those in the community who want to remember what community actually means.



And for those who want smoothies, of course.



I can see it now. I predict tables of moms chatting and sipping juice blends and Stumptown coffee while toddlers and youngsters gobble up smoothies around them. I see members of the ultra cool club coming in to try the new “it” drinks — imagine a basil, celery, mango, jalapeno iced juicy; or maybe it’s a saffron, chamomile and lemon tea laced with coconut milk. Teens on dates will try to woo each other over strawberry, cucumber, celery, apple and pear juice blends sucked from two straws, one glass. Precious old couples will walk in holding hands, smiling to each other over how tasty and convenient getting a whole day’s vegetables and fruits has become. And mainly I see all of these people talking to each other, sharing blend ideas first and then, by default, getting to know one another.



This may sound a bit romanticized, but Smooth & Juicy could just be that wholesome, organic environment that would attract a diverse clientele and foster the situations and meetings I daydreamed above.



I blink a couple of times and realize I’ve been staring the 100-mile stare at that wood wall.



Thane turns and gestures to a massive piece of metal, maybe 18-feet high, that he says is the back of a truck. That’s one big truck. He wants to position it to be the backdrop for fruit and vegetable displays, giving the illusion of looking at the back of a truck that’s completely full and just come in from the farm and orchard. We nod and grin; he’s got great vision.



Davis leads me over and I meet the farmer from Terra Organics — Smooth & Juicey’s produce hook-up. He’s arranging his juicing station for sampling later; the vegetables and fruit don’t look real — their color and overall appearance radiant. I’m thinking it’s amazing that they grow all this stuff with no toxic chemicals and 100 percent certified organic means. 



I mill around, snapping pictures. One corner is pseudo-set-up with a built-in bench in the V, table and two chairs and a vase holding tall beach grass. The look is tastefully sparse and serene. Will Smooth & Juicey look like this in June when it is set to open? I hope so.



Patricia walks in and announces that everyone needs to head upstairs for the introductions, presentations, and appetizers. I think the mention of food from Rosewood Café, another locally-owned business, got everyone moving. Upstairs we sign in and I see fellow Volcano scribe Steph DeRosa’s name on the guest list and am elated.



Patricia calls the event to order and commences with a thorough account of what Smooth & Juicey is, the extra costs they’ve run into, what the vision is, who’s behind it and why we’re all here.



“We want to be able to have Smooth & Juicey open for you in June as planned, but we’ve got some extra costs that came up and that’s why you’re here. It’s a fund-raiser after all, so make sure to get a prepaid Smooth & Juicey or Satellite Coffee card,” she explains.



I find Steph, and between giggling, smelling products on salon displays and listening to Patricia — followed by co-owner Pat Brown of Satellite Coffee Company and artist Zach Marvick, I’m musing on what a clever and brilliant idea these pre-paid cards are. They generate capitol to keep the project on track now, instant foot-traffic once the business opens and a killer discount to the customer that will be remembered in the future. Win win. Buy a five-drink card for $20 and get the sixth drink free. A $1,000 card gets you one drink a day for an entire year — saving you $700 (say what?). And the big heavy $2,500 card gets you drinks for life. $250 and $500 cards are coming out, too.



Back downstairs, guitar players have started up, coffee is brewing, and I can’t believe how good it smells. We head for the front again. The farmer is already handing out samples of juice blends. He makes a tasty special one just for Steph; she’s allergic to seed fruits.   



Patricia comes around right as I’m ready to leave and re-opens the monstrous garage door for me. I feel tiny standing under it as I thank her and hug her and dash across Market Street to my car. June seems so far away, and I’m ready for Smooth & Juicey now. If that sounds petulant, it is. I feel the alt-bev bar will make a stellar addition to Tacoma, provide a healthy, fun and tasty way to take care of your body and mind, and hopefully unite or at least ease introductions for people who share a community as home.