The Big Squeezy adds Freshjunkie salads

Photo by Matt Sigur

The Perkins Road overpass area’s cold-press juice bar The Big Squeezy has begun selling pre-packaged salads from Freshjunkie Salads+Wraps as part of a broader effort to transform itself into a more café-style eatery.

“We want people to think of this more along the terms of a café so they can come and spend a little more time here,” says Kim Matsko, co-owner of The Big Squeezy. “We got new seating outside and we’ve got free Wi-Fi so they can come and sit.”

Matsko says she has always planned to expand the menu beyond juice and smoothies since opening the juice bar in late 2013. The Big Squeezy now sells raw oatmeal, nutrition bar-like protein balls, lentil soup and three salad choices from Freshjunkie selected by Freshjunkie owner Pat Fellows. They offer the brickhouse, spinach and mediterranean salads from Freshjunkie.

“We’ve known Pat for a long time and just decided to finally make it happen,” Matsko says. “We’re listening to the needs of our customers. Hopefully in the next couple months we’re going to do a real nice coffee bar, and stuff for kids like popsicles.”

Matsko says Freshjunkie is delivering salads to The Big Squeezy every morning based on which salads sold best the previous day. Matsko began putting the salads out in the shop’s refrigerated food case last week and they have sold out every day since, she says.

For the other new menu items, Matsko says the idea is simply to grow the juice bar’s business, adding she is also in the process of coming up with more juice-based items.

—Deanna Narveson of Daily Report