Financial Struggles and Community Strength: The Story of Tacoma’s Intentions Juice Bar
VIDEO: Intentions Juice and Smoothie Bar #SupportBlackBusiness segment. (Back2Besa / Converge Media / FOX13)
By Omari Salisbury - #SupportBlackBusiness
South Tacoma Way is home to Intentions Juice and Smoothie Bar, a space that embodies community and vision, though it navigates significant financial hurdles. Founded by Marquita Evans in 2020, Intentions is a vital hub focused on health, wellness, and connection. However, maintaining this space requires constant effort due to ongoing financial challenges.
"We are a local community hub with health and wellness as our center and focus," Marquita Evans states, encapsulating the core mission of Intentions. The journey began when Evans had an opportunity to open a coffee shop. Instead, she chose a juice and smoothie bar, aligning with her personal lifestyle and the guiding principle of "intentions," her word for 2020. "Juicing was currently part of my lifestyle, to consume my fruits and vegetables," she explains.
Intentions is unique in its dedication to community. Monthly poetry nights provide a platform for diverse voices, including those from inside prison through the Black Prisoners' Caucus (BPC). Community healer events offer massages, sound baths, yoga, and healing circles, drawing over 400 participants this year. Evans envisioned Intentions as a "Black Starbucks vibe," a welcoming space where customers feel at home. "You come in and you know they're going to know your name, we might remember your drink even," she says.
The financial reality of running Intentions is a constant challenge. "If we're being honest, Intentions is being funded by Marquita," Evans admits. This personal investment underscores the dedication and risk Evans has taken to keep the business alive. "It's great when we have our community coming in to support it's hitting those hard times where at the end of the day, the staff has to be paid, and that comes out of my pocket if it's not in the bank."
The struggle to maintain financial stability is a significant concern. "When we're looking for help and support in supporting our Black-owned businesses or our local small businesses, is to help us keep those doors open. It's to help us pay our employees to help keep the high schoolers here that are learning managerial skills, is to help keep those things going," Evans emphasizes. This highlights the dual mission of Intentions: to provide a community space and support local employment, including opportunities for young people.
Evans candidly shares the difficulty of asking for help, a common struggle that many entrepreneurs face. "One of the hardest things for a business owner to do, because typically, we don't ask for help. We make it happen," she says. However, she recognizes the importance of community support. "I am asking for our community to come out and show that support so that we can keep the doors open."
Despite these financial challenges, Evans remains committed to serving her community. Intentions offers free events, such as tax preparation and homebuyer workshops, demonstrating its commitment to addressing local needs.
The menu features fresh, locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, offering options that are both enjoyable and beneficial for healing. "We actually do have a hangover kit which literally brings you back to life," she laughs. Other offerings include "Get Well Soon" blends and "Period Kits," all centered around wellness.
VIDEO: Intentions Juice and Smoothie Bar uplift on Back2Besa in 2023.
Evans has adapted her business to customer preferences and health trends, offering customizable options and seasonal ingredients. "The menu is simple, so that you have options, but you have the option of creating your own," she explains. The space itself is designed to be inviting and comfortable, featuring local art, game tables, and a cozy couch area. "You have the option to sit down and have a cozy moment on our couch, observe some of the art from local artists on our walls, enjoy some game time at tables," Evans describes.
Evans' motivation comes from leaving a legacy for her child and supporting her team. "My motivation is knowing that I'm leaving something behind for my child and that I have a team that relies on me at the end of the day, and so that gets me up every day." For her, Black joy is found in feeling safe, happy, and peaceful in her own space. "Black joy is feeling safe in the space that I am in," she says. "In that space, being able to be happy, enjoy laughter, and feel peaceful, that's where my joy comes in."
Intentions Juice and Smoothie Bar is a community lifeline facing real financial struggles. Its survival depends on the support of the community it serves, highlighting the vital role that local patronage plays in sustaining small, Black-owned businesses. The story of Intentions is a reminder of the resilience and dedication required to maintain community spaces and the importance of supporting those who invest in their neighborhoods.
Intentions Juice & Smoothie Bar
5236 S Tacoma Way, Tacoma, WA 98409
https://www.intentionsjuicebar.com/
