SPRINGFIELD — While many small businesses have suffered this year – a new Springfield health juice business is celebrating a year full of growth and success.
The Main Squeeze 937 was started by four life-long friends in 2019 – Earl Taylor, Craig Williams, Jafar Jones and Marcus Clark.
The juice business prides itself on only using natural ingredients like pears, apples, raspberries, kale and carrots with no added sugars and creative flavor names like ‘Black Excellence’ and ‘Glow’d Up’
Since winning, their sales have nearly tripled.
In 2020, The Main Squeeze won the Springfield Hustles small business competition – a prize of $80,000 in grants and services.
They’d like to use part of the money to buy a food truck. Right now, the Main Squeeze primarily operates a pop-up stand that travels to various locations.
After the South Limestone Kroger closure earlier this year, the south side of Springfield was left without access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
As the Main Squeeze continues to grow, they hope to fill the need in the community -- as well as employ kids and teens so they can learn more about preparing healthy foods and managing a business.
“Sometimes with kids and what they wanna do and obtain, the people that they look up to and they wanna see -- they can’t touch,” said Earl Taylor. “But with us being over here, they can actually see us and touch us and be involved and that’s really big for us.”
The Main Squeeze just had their last juice pick-up of the year and hopes to reopen for orders in the spring.
For more information, like the business’ page on Facebook or follow them on Instagram @themainsqueeze937.