Fresh ground peanut butter? Whey protein? Granola? You can find all that and more at Rush Bowls in the CWEscene.
Since opening their doors in March, Rush Bowls has become known as a one-stop-shop for clean, healthy nutrition on the go. Husband and wife duo, Ken and Kim Moroney, are the owners of this franchise and the ones responsible for bringing these delicious, all-natural blended fruit bowls and smoothies to our community.
Tell us about yourself and your background.
Kim: I was born and raised in St. Louis. I moved to Chicago after college where I met Ken, a native Chicagoan. We moved back to St. Louis in 2004 to be closer to family and now have two daughters of our own. Ken is an electrical engineer and I am a registered nurse.
Why did you and your husband decide to open your own franchise?
Kim: We were looking for our next adventure in life and began thinking about buying a franchise. Rush Bowls had just begun franchising outside of Colorado and we immediately fell in love with them. Not only are they a wonderful team to work with, but their healthy, fun focus really resonated with us. Ken and I have two daughters, and between our jobs and our kids’ activities we are always in a rush. We frequently found ourselves at a loss for where we could grab a quick, healthy bite to eat on the go. When we learned about Rush Bowls we knew immediately that this is just what St. Louis needs–a place for clean, healthy nutrition on the go.
Why did you choose the CWE for your location?
Kim: The CWE is a vibrant, diverse community with fun-loving, active residents. It felt like the perfect fit for Rush Bowls. We love being a part of the CWE neighborhood!
Tell us about Rush Bowls and what sets you apart from other smoothie shops?
Kim: We don’t have any hidden ingredients. All our bowls and smoothies contain 100% juice (or milk product), fresh ground peanut butter, fruit/veggies that are flash-frozen at the peak of ripeness, and other wholesome ingredients. Customers can see every ingredient as it goes into the blenders. Also, all bowls/smoothies can be fully customized to meet any dietary need or personal preference.
What is your most popular bowl/smoothie?
Kim: The Beach bowl is our most popular bowl, it is one of our acai bowls and includes guava juice, acai, bananas, mangoes, hemp granola and honey. Our most popular smoothie is the Super Smoothie, which is great after a workout because it is loaded with protein. It is milk-based (choice of fat-free, soy, almond or coconut) with peanut butter, whey protein, bananas, strawberries and kale/spinach.
What has it been like to work with your spouse?
Kim: It’s a lot of fun when we don’t want to kill each other. Actually, we have found that our different professional backgrounds and skill sets are very complementary.
What do you enjoy most about being a business owner?
Kim: The best part of being a business owner is being a part of something bigger than ourselves. We love being able to provide something healthy and fun to the community. We also really enjoy the relationships that have developed among our employee family.
What is your favorite item on the menu?
Kim: This changes on a weekly basis for me, but my favorite currently is the Avocado Bowl. Ken’s first love is the PB&J bowl but he is also partial to the Chai Mystique.