Ardmore Initiative announces the debut of the Main Line's newest plant-based eatery and cafe. Blue Pearl Cafe presented by owner FJ Leto and his company Juice Dr. will grand open this Saturday, August 22nd at 9:00am at 44 Rittenhouse Place. Blue Pearl Cafe will features a menu of plant-based vegan offerings that include breakfast and lunch dishes, coffee, and tea, organic smoothies, cold pressed juices, wellness shots, organic noodles, gluten free grain bowls, salads and more. Signature dishes include Spaghetti and Beetballs, Pad Thai, Walnut Taco Salad, Acai Bowl, Dark Blue Overnight Oats and other tasty dishes. The former eye glass store is 750 square feet inside and features three tables inside with extensive coffee bar seating along the main wall. Most indoor dining, however, is on hold and the cafe has a limited number of people inside to ensure social distancing. Masks are required for ordering and pick-up, unless a customer is seated at one of the two cafe tables on the sidewalk. Blue Pearl Cafe will launch with take-out and pick-up, delivery, limited outside seating, juice subscriptions and Immunity boxes. Opening hours are 9:00am to 3:00pm seven days a week. Look for free juice samples outside in front of the store during grand opening weekend. For more information about Blue Pearl Cafe, Juice Dr. and Immunity Boxes, visit www.bluepearl.cafe or call 484-414-4122. Engage on Social Media at @BluePearlCafe on Facebook and Instagram.

"We are so thrilled to bring Downtown Ardmore its first plant-based cafe, coffee shop and juice bar, " said owner FJ Leto. "We were delayed when the global pandemic caused businesses to close and they ceased issuing the permits we needed for final clearance. But now, after working hard to pivot with our Immunity Boxes and expansion of our juice subscriptions, we are ready to continue our growth with our first brick and mortar location. We have taken great lengths to ensure the health and safety of our customers and employees. We hope to meet you all this coming weekend and over the next few weeks. Come when you feel comfortable and let us introduce you to our foods and drinks that spotlight super-foods and that are designed to boost immunity - which is so important right now."

Blue Pearl Cafe is one of the only organic, gluten free, plant based cafes and juice bars in the area, located on 44 Rittenhouse Place in Ardmore. Blue Pearl was created by FJ Leto founder of local cold pressed juice company - Juice Dr. Juice Dr. has mastered the art of juicing, offering organic cold pressed juices mainly through fresh subscriptions, delivered bi-weekly throughout the greater philadelphia area. Through his new venture, Blue Pearl, Leto has created the same caliber of nutritionally dense, incredibly delicious and truly healthy products, but has expanded from solely cold press juices to a full plant based mostly raw food menu, an incredible smoothie menu with one of a kind superfood ingredients, and a coffee and tea menu like no other.

Leto’s vision is to create an experience where customers can enjoy all the food and beverages they are used to, while at the same time making a massive improvement on their health and the way they look and feel. With ingredients like adaptogenic herbs, medical mushrooms, and amino blends integrated into the already health packed plant based meals, the menu at Blue Pearl can help customers lose weight and detox, boost their immune systems and energy levels and reduce their chances of many diseases.

Blue Pearl's name is a tribute to Mother Earth. Leto said, "Its our little blue green gem floating in space and we have a responsibility to respect, protect and treat it like the rare gem it is. Eating a plant based diet is not only one of the best things people can do for their own health, it is one of the only things that can help our planet environmentally recover, reduce and reverse the damage humanity has caused. I found the name during a Siddha Yoga meditation intensive. In that discipline of mediation, seeing a 'blue pearl' during mediation was a sign you were making progress, a sign of waking up. I chose that name and gave it a new meaning because I also want the experience of Blue Pearl Cafe to be a kind of waking up, where guests can see that they have the power to elevate their bodies and states of mind through nutrition and lifestyle programs to new levels."

The idea for Blue Pearl was five years in the making. The opening of physical brick-and-mortar locations was part of Juice Dr.'s business plan since day one. After several years of getting the cold press juice business fully operating, Leto and his team started to eye their first retail location in early 2019. They went on to sign the lease and begin construction and interior design in November of 2019. The cafe was preparing to open its doors in March of 2020 when the global pandemic closed down many location businesses. Now, six months later, Blue Pearl Cafe is moving full steam ahead on their first of five new cafes to open in the next five years.

From the kitchen, look for organic, whole food, plant-based meals, enhanced with super foods to upgrade them to the next level to support health and immunity. The menu features breakfast, lunch and snack dishes, baked goods, gluten free grain bowls, cold pressed juices, organic smoothies, specialty coffees and teas, Rival Bros. roasted coffee, wellness shots and more. The kitchen features a reverse osmosis water filtration system that is used to make the food and drinks as fresh as possible, plus to provide water service for guests.

For juices, Juice Dr. produces all of juices in the cold press machine down the road in the company's Ardmore production kitchen. Juices are mixed down to the quarter of an ounce resulting in perfectly consistent recipes. They are all 100% organic, doctor and nutritionist recommended, and consumed by individuals all over the area and even across the country. Juice Dr. created juices even for hometown heroes the Philadelphia Phillies.

For smoothies, all recipes are organic and blended with adaptogens, medicinal mushrooms and other boosters to create truly superfood smoothies.

For coffee, Blue Pearl Cafe will partner with local roaster Rival Bros. Speciality coffee drinks and teas are also available.

For the interior, Blue Pearl Cafe renovated the inside to convert the former eyeglass store into a full functioning eatery and cafe. Upon entering, patrons will encounter a grab and go fridge for cold press juices, wellness shots and prepared foods. Next to the juices, look for a custom butcher block countertop with a built-in live edge walnut framed PPE protection shield for safe ordering. Along the main wall to the right of the counter is a 20-feet long custom butcher block stand-up coffee bar for seating when indoor dining safely begins at Blue Pearl Cafe. The vibe aims to be alive, positive, clean, fresh, modern and welcoming. The color palette is light blue and shades of white with some dark blue accents, to let the colorful, fresh plant-based juices pop-off the shelves and catch your eye. The entire interior is flush with natural light, living plants and energizing music.

On top of the cafe's foods and drinks, the company also offers subscription boxes perfect for the individual or family who knows they want to drink fresh juice every day, but who do not want to go through the hassle of making it themselves or buying it at a grocery store. Juice Dr. delivers juices twice a week in a refrigerated vehicle to ensure maximum temperature and freshness. The subscription program is week to week, and is very flexible allowing for skipping weeks and pausing for extended periods of time. Customers can build their own subscription and pricing is based on their frequency and selections.

Blue Pearl Cafe represents a new direction and expansion for Juice Dr. which to this point has been sold throughout the region and across the country in gyms, health facilities, cafes, coffee shops and to corporate clients. Notable current and past clients for Juice Dr. include the Phillies, Fitler Club, Walnut Street Cafe, Rival Brothers, Green Engine Coffee, Merion Cricket Club, Malvern Buttery, Rebel Yoga, Chestnut Hill Cycle and Fitness, and many others. Local Downtown Ardmore neighbor Tired Hands Brewing Co. also uses Juice Dr. juices to make kombucha and beer.

With this grand opening comes safety and health protocols that include a new point of sale system catering to take-out and delivery, contact-free ordering, the installation of clear glass over the ordering counter, and internal safety standard and checks to protect employees and patrons. Masks are required when customers are not seated, and for all guests to place and pick-up orders. Tables outside are first come, first serve. Social distancing is required for those waiting to order or who enter the cafe. Seating inside is limited as the cafe layout has been configured to best serve take-out and delivery customers during the global pandemic. Curbside pick-up and grab and go are also available - with contact-free delivery for meals coming soon.

For employees, there are temperature checks upon arrival to work, proper handwashing stations around the cafe, updated sanitation schedules and policies for all equipment and the mandatory use of masks - and other protocols as recommended and mandated by local, state and federal health officials. Blue Pearl Cafe and Juice Dr. also have a no questions asked call out sick policy.

When asked about opening during the pandemic, Leto said, "We already went above and beyond for safety protocols at Juice Dr. so it wasn't that large of a transition at Blue Pearl Cafe. We want to ensure everyone - from our patrons to our staff - are safe and healthy. Opening during a time when indoor dining isn't a great option for us, and during a time when we have to have a more reserved opening with no large gatherings have definitely been a challenge, but its time to get the doors open and finally meet our neighbors and visitors. It looked like no time in the near future was going to be the perfect time, so we finished up the last small items on our punch list and we can't wait to see everyone (with their masks, of course) this weekend!"

Blue Pearl Cafe's grand opening was supported through a grant and PR assistance from Ardmore Initiative to support new businesses opening in Downtown Ardmore.

"Ardmore Initiative is thrilled to welcome Blue Pearl Cafe to Downtown Ardmore," said Ardmore Initiative Executive Director Nancy Scarlato. "Health and wellness is on the minds of many these days and this new offering by FJ Leto is a welcome addition with Juice Dr. cold pressed juices and delicious, plant-based meals. Blue Pearl Cafe fits in perfectly with our strategic vision of diversifying the dining options in our award-winning dining district."

When asked about why open in Ardmore, Leto said, " We couldn't think of any other place we would rather be! We just love Ardmore. Juice Dr.’s production facility is also in Ardmore, that makes it easy as well. I think Ardmore is one of the most up and coming areas on the Main Line and we are happy to be part of the development."

For more information about Blue Pearl Cafe, Juice Dr. and Immunity Boxes, visit www.bluepearl.cafe or call 484-414-4122. Engage on Social Media at @BluePearlCafe on Facebook and Instagram.

For more about Ardmore Initiative, Destination Ardmore and other businesses in Downtown Ardmore, visit http://destinationardmore.com/

ABOUT THE ARDMORE INITIATIVE

Founded in 1993, the Ardmore Initiative is the business district authority for Ardmore, Pennsylvania. It functions as a representative for business and property owners, and works to revitalize the town through façade grants, economic development, streetscape programs and special events. Visit us at www.DestinationArdmore.com.