A juice bar that aims for an edgy atmosphere staffed by trendy young people is coming to Bethesda Row.
Joe & The Juice, a Denmark-based company founded by former karate champion Kaspar Basse, is opening a store at 7263 Woodmont Ave., next to Jaleo. The space was previously occupied by Max Brenner Chocolate Bar, which opened in June 2013 and closed last June.
A spokeswoman for Federal Realty, which owns the property, confirmed the juice bar had signed a lease, and the chain has put up signs on the windows. Spokeswomen with Joe & The Juice and Federal Realty said an opening date is not yet known.
The chain has about 200 stores either opened or planned, mostly in Europe, though there are several in New York City, California and Florida. The Bethesda location is the first announced in the Maryland area.
In its decade and a half in business, Joe & The Juice has garnered a reputation for its unconventional hiring practices and its carefully maintained aesthetic. The Business Insider, a news website, reports the chain “only hires hunks,” and the company holds large-scale “castings” in seeking new employees. Staff sometimes have the option of living together in “Joe Houses,” according to the British newspaper The Telegraph.
Joe & The Juice offers a menu of juices, juice shots, coffee, shakes and sandwiches. Juices are made fresh in-store with fruits and vegetables and include Joe’s Green Mile—with broccoli, spinach, avocado, apple and lemon—and Iron Man—with strawberry, kiwi and apple.
The Bethesda location will be a block away from Purée Artisan Juice Bar, which also serves healthy drinks including juices, juice shots and shakes. A manager for the store was not available for comment Thursday.
