On any given afternoon on the Corner, hordes of students and locals shuffle in and out of Corner Juice for a quick bite. Since their doors opened in 2017, Corner Juice has become a staple for University students, faculty and Charlottesville residents alike, offering a variety of healthy food choices including smoothies, sandwiches, parfaits and coffee.
Behind the busy shop are founders and University alumni Joseph Linzon and Julie Nolet, and James Madison University alumnus Kevin McConnell. Together, they opened the storefront with the goal of bringing healthier, more convenient food options to the Corner — a mission shaped by their own experiences with the lack of health-conscious food in Charlottesville.
“[Charlottesville] was a ghost town for healthy [food] back then,” Nolet said. “I think the only thing that we had was like a green vending machine.”
Linzon first began working to bring healthier food options to Charlottesville in 2015, when he founded Roots Natural Kitchen with three of his fraternity brothers. Roots’ success solidified the need for healthier food options on the Corner, and Linzon and Nolet got to work immediately.
While Roots has since expanded into a national chain with 22 locations — including eight in Virginia and storefronts across Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Ohio — Corner Juice remains a smaller, family-run operation. They have two locations in Charlottesville, including the Corner and the Downtown Mall. Linzon and Nolet said they do not plan to expand beyond the area in order to preserve the hands-on approach they have maintained since opening the shop.
Linzon and Nolet said they have always wanted Corner Juice to feel like more than just a place to grab food. They even refer to the seating area as the “living room,” reinforcing their goal of making the shop feel more like a comfortable place to spend time rather than just a restaurant. They aim to create a European-style atmosphere through the shop's music and overall ‘vibe’ that encourages people to slow down and connect.
“We have people who come three times a day, one of them [is] sitting in here right now,” Linzon said. “It's really cool that we're able to create that place that is like someone's kitchen. We are not just [a] restaurant, we're your kitchen away from home.”
For many customers, including second-year College student Katie Frick, these welcoming efforts are part of what keeps them coming back.
“[The staff] know my name,” Frick said. “Every time I go to pick up my order. They [know] that I [am] Katie, and they almost always had my order ready for [me].”
At Corner Juice, the idea of wellness extends beyond creating a welcoming space. Their business is guided by the motto “food is medicine,” and their menu is built around simple, natural ingredients without added sweeteners. Linzon said one of their goals from the beginning was to challenge the widespread belief that healthy food cannot taste good.
“There is a stigma that healthy food doesn’t taste good. So that was our goal from the very beginning, to keep it simple,” Nolet said. “We don’t need to get crazy and have 15 ingredients in one item. Keep it simple and delicious, and also healthy at the same time.”
Nolet and Linzon said they try to source as many ingredients locally as possible, working with nearby farms whenever they can. Because of their focus on fresh and local ingredients, however, some students said the higher prices can make Corner Juice more of an occasional stop.
“The portion size is a little disproportionate to the cost,” Frick said. “Marketing yourself as someone that has all organic ingredients, that gives students [access to] fruit and vegetables … that’s a rarity, so they can charge pretty much whatever they want.”
In addition to using fresh ingredients, Corner Juice offers options for a wide range of dietary needs and allergies. From gluten-free, nut-free and vegan options, the shop follows specific procedures to make sure customers with allergies feel safe eating there.
Like many patrons with dietary restrictions, Frick said she often returns to Corner Juice because she knows there will be options that fit her gluten-free diet.
“It was really hard to find places that had good gluten-free sandwiches, especially for lunch,” Frick said. “I struggled, even in the dining halls. There weren't very many options, and if there were, the quality was bad.”
In addition to offering fresh and accommodating menu options, Nolet and Linzon said their ability to respond to customer demand has been key to their success. On the Corner, where restaurant turnover is common, adaptability has been a key strategy to help Corner Juice sustain its success over time.
They explained that many of the shop’s changes, from menu additions to expanded hours, have come directly from customer feedback, helping the business grow while staying relevant to the Charlottesville community. An example was the addition of eggs to the menu, introduced in response to repeated customer requests. Corner Juice now offers eggs on items like avocado toast, along with a breakfast sandwich, which has quickly become one of its most popular options.
Students not only shape the culture of the shop as customers, but also as members of the Corner Juice work team. While some of their family members help run the shop, Linzon and Nolet said about 50 percent of Corner Juice’s employees are students.
“We love having students. They help think differently too, and they're younger, and so they see things that we might not see,” Nolet said.
While many students go to Corner Juice for the food itself, Linzon and Nolet said their vision for the shop has always gone beyond the menu.
Linzon and Nolet said creating a strong connection with the Charlottesville community has been central to Corner Juice’s mission. This has shaped the way they run the business, including the partnerships they form with local organizations and student groups.
“We love to give back to [the University] community, whether it's with sororities, with fraternities or with the U.Va. hospital, these partnerships are a big part of who we are,” Linzon said. “Without this community, we wouldn't be anything.”
Corner Juice often works with student organizations and local groups to host fundraising events and special menu collaborations. Each month, the shop aims to support a different organization by selling a limited-time smoothie and donating part of the proceeds to that group. Corner Juice also partners with other health-focused businesses in Charlottesville, including fitness studios like Purvelo Cycle, to promote its overall mission of wellness.
Linzon said that their community commitment also extends to working with local vendors. Corner Juice purchases their bread from MarieBette Café and Bakery, and they try to use other ingredients from nearby farms whenever possible. Although some ingredients have to be sourced from outside the area due to seasonal limitations, Corner Juice makes an effort to buy locally whenever they can.
Over eight years after opening, Corner Juice has become part of the daily routine for many University students. Linzon and Nolet said the shop has grown alongside the student community, becoming a place people return to throughout their time in Charlottesville.
“It's not just about the food. And that, to me, is really special — that people feel like this is a safe and fun and welcoming place,” Nolet said. “That was my goal from the beginning.”
Read More
Top 10 struggles all University students understand
By Lily Notter | YesterdayWhether you’re an incoming first year preparing for your arrival on Grounds or a current student at the University who has been spared thus far, be aware and ready to encounter some or all of these tragic affairs.
‘Ye Olde BIG SWAP’ reframes fashion as a practice of sustainability
By Kendra Mickle | YesterdaySunday, racks of secondhand clothing lined the Amphitheater as students and community members came together to sift through garments in search of their next closet staple.
Virginia Interfaith Coalition dinner brings religious unity in a time of tension
By Chase Coyte | 2 days agoThe Virginia Interfaith Coalition brought together over 100 people of various faiths and backgrounds for a night of food, music and conversation.
