Opening a juice store was a logical step for Naomi and Zeb Homison, two siblings who were raised vegetarian. Their new endeavor, Pittsburgh Juice Company, opened in February, in the same Lawrenceville building as Zeb Homison's Bikram yoga studio.
"This setup is very common in a lot of cities, and it's something Pittsburgh has been behind on," Naomi Homison says of the store's paring with the studio.
PJC specializes in cold-pressed juices instead of using heat and high-pressure processes. Their products only have a three-day shelf life, because they are made from raw ingredients with no preservatives.
"There are a lot of nutrients and enzymes available to us in raw foods," Naomi Homison says. "Anytime you actually preserve the shelf life of a juice, you actually kill the enzymes which are the essence of our juice."
Their menu includes the refreshing Berry Watermelon drink and vegetable-packed Super Green with a cucumber base, kale, celery, lemon and ginger. But the store isn't all about juice: PJC also offers coconut water and almond milk. Drink prices range from $6-7.
"The idea is, it doesn't have to taste bad to be good for you," Naomi Homison says.
The store also offers two juice-cleanse programs, one for beginners and the other for more experienced juicers. Both programs include six drinks per day such as a Power Berry Smoothie, Carrot Apple Ginger and Almond Milk. Program prices vary depending on duration.
