Staying healthy can be a labor of love and this was certainly the case for Eddie Jiminez, owner/founder of Blue Carrot Pilates + Smoothie Bar.
The unique business pairs pilates classes with organic smoothies, juices, acai bowls and soon, superfood lattes featuring adaptogens.
Blue Carrot opened at 4827 W. Clearwater Ave., Suite 130, in Kennewick in February.
Jiminez lived in the Tri-Cities from 2005-11 before he left for medical school, intending to become a doctor. Due to health issues in his last year of medical school, he re-evaluated his future in medicine.
“My lifestyle wasn’t supporting my health,” he said, “so I changed my diet, started exercising and learned about nutrition, and I started to feel better. I decided not to pursue my residency and instead got my master’s in nutrition and exercise science.”
He shifted from western medicine, with its focus treating symptoms with medications, to a holistic approach.
“I realized that the root issues are in the gut and through the core,” Jiminez said. “At Blue Carrot, I focus on core health in exercise and gut health through nutrition.”
That’s how the business got its name. Beyond its namesake blue spirulina drink, the color is often associated with holistic medicine, while carrots are a common root vegetable.
When Jiminez and his partner, Bruce Jolliff, moved back to the Tri-Cities in 2022, they had difficulty finding foods without preservatives or added sugars.
Blue Carrot aims to fill a gap in the Tri-Cities market by offering an organic smoothie bar with pilates and an in-house nutritionist, Jiminez said.
“I wanted to be a part of that movement in this community,” he said, “and provide real good foods that are not only nutritious but delicious. It took me a long time to come up with recipes that can accomplish both.”
Eddie Jiminez, right, is the owner and founder of Blue Carrot in Kennewick. His partner, Bruce Jolliff, is at left.
| Photo by Jamie CouncilJiminez makes his own almond, oat, and cashew milk used for the smoothies and also presses his own juices.
The smoothies with a purpose include Lion’s Brew Elixer, which has coffee and lion’s mane mushroom, and Cherry Cashew Collagen Crush, which includes cashew butter, collagen and bee pollen.
Jiminez is a certified pilates instructor. Jiminez and his partner are the sole employees and they have called Blue Carrot a labor of love. Their goal is to hire baristas and instructors to allow Jiminez to focus more on health coaching.
Blue Carrot offers four pilates classes Tuesday through Friday, with two classes offered on the weekend.
The classes are 45-minute high intensity, low-impact workout in an environment that promotes mental health. The venue features a brick wall, fun lighting and graffiti art murals by local artist David Vasquez, or David V35.
“We don’t want it to feel institutional,” Jiminez said. “We want it to be fun and bring big city vibes into the Tri-Cities.”
Juices and smoothies range from $10 to $14, while drop-in for pilates classes are $25. They also have memberships: $114 for two pilates classes a week; $149 for three classes a week; $199 for twice a week and a monthly nutritional consult; $249 unlimited classes with a nutrition consultation; or $150 for a nutrition consultation.
“My purpose is to provide good nutrition, nutrition information and products to support people’s health goals,” Jiminez said.
The smoothie bar is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and available for delivery via Doordash and Uber Eats. They are closed on Mondays.
Blue Carrot Pilates and Smoothie Bar: 827 W. Clearwater Ave., Suite 130, Kennewick, 509-380-8778, bluecarrotco.com.