Small Business Spotlight: Maricela Gallarzo, Co-owner, Planet Smoothie
Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 8:47AMArticle by Becky Fillinger
Meet a resilient and hardworking business person – Maricela Gallarzo, co-owner of Planet Smoothie. Her business is open every day – that’s right, she and her family keep the shop open for us all seven days of the week to enjoy healthy and delicious smoothies! We talked to her about her immigration story, finding a new business opportunity and staying focused during the COVID-19 pandemic.
No time to read? Below is a video clip of Maricela discussing their offerings, their approach involving family, and the dream of working hard to make the business a success.
Planet Smoothie is located in Gaviidae Common, 651 Nicollet Mall
Q: Like you, Maricela, I did not grow up in Minnesota. Please tell us about your journey that brought you to live in Minnesota.
A: I emigrated from Mexico in 1997. We moved to Minnesota in 2000. I became a US Citizen in 2002. I met my husband in Chicago - we got married and had our first child. My husband’s family was in Minnesota already, so we decided to move so that our son Jonathan could grow up with his grandparents. We also heard that Minnesota was a great state to live in. I’m so happy we made the decision because we love Minnesota.
Q: How did you become interested in a Planet Smoothie franchise?
A: For many years my husband and I had been operating a cleaning franchise. We wanted to do something different for our family, but at the same time offer something helpful to the community. While everyone was eating breakfast one day, my husband was searching for a franchise opportunity that has never been based in Minnesota – Planet Smoothie came up and it got our attention. We made a couple of calls to the corporate headquarters. We went to Arizona for one day – just to try the smoothies to see if we really wanted to bring it to Minnesota. We ended up LOVING the flavors and the healthy concept. So, knowing that Minnesota is a healthy state and a huge fan of smoothies, we decided to take the plunge.
Q: You're the only Planet Smoothie franchise in Minnesota. Was it difficult to convince the company to bring their brand to Minneapolis?
A: If I’m being honest, no it wasn’t hard. It went really smoothly (no pun intended). They were aware of Minnesota’s healthy reputation and knew it was a good fit.
Q: Why do you think Planet Smoothie is better than other smoothie brands?
A: Planet Smoothie sets itself apart by providing better-for-you products that are blended with whole food ingredients. Our smoothies are generally lower-calorie and lower-sugar and we offer a wide variety of options to fit different tastes and lifestyles. We are also happy to customize any smoothie to fit your personal preferences. Come see for yourself that we have the best tasting smoothie on the planet!
Q: How have you adapted to COVID-19?
A: We’re trying to stay safe with everything going on. As far as business goes, we are diligent that everything must be clean/sanitized, and we wash our hands after everything we touch. We also use gloves while making the smoothies and everyone is required to wear a mask. We don’t allow more than five people in the store at any one time
Q: Do you have any holiday specials?
A: Yes, from December 11 - 20, you can take $1 off any dragon fruit smoothie! We are also running a gift card promotion on planetsmoothie.com for a bonus $15 gift card when you buy $50 in gift cards.
Q: Does your family help with the business?
A: Yes, every day. I have 100% support from my family.
Q: How can we follow your business? What are the hours for the business?
A: You can follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We are open every day in Gaviidae Common, 651 Nicollet Mall. You may order online and pick up your smoothie when you arrive. Come see us!
Mon-Fri: 7am-6pm
Sat: 8am-6pm
Sun: 10:30am-6pm
Phone: 612-339-2283, Email: planetsmoothiemn@gmail.com
