Mount Pleasant smoothie and poke bowl shop Tres Palmas Acai will join Ethos Athletic Club in the 311 Huger Street space adjacent to Hire Wire Distilling this spring. Basic Projects co-owner Kate Towill is leading the design of the space with the goal of completing renovations by April.
Tres Palmas owner Wyatt Morris launched his smoothie bowl shop as a food truck in 2018, later opening a Mount Pleasant shop in 2019. Two years ago, patrons would find just Morris and his mom inside the shop, but his team has since tripled, which will give the College of Charleston graduate a chance to go back and forth between Mount Pleasant and the new downtown shop on Huger Street.
According to Morris, Towill is helping him design the “L-shaped” smoothie bowl stand that will serve Ethos owner Joey Welling’s customers.
“She killed it with Basic Kitchen downtown — it’s beautiful down there, and I try my best to kind of emulate that style in my current shop,” Morris said. “It’s going to be really cool to work in a space that’s being designed by her. She’s been working with me on the design I currently have and taking some of that inspiration and putting it into the new space downtown.”
“He has such an aesthetic for a clean, modern feel, which is nice,” said Towill, describing how impressed she was with the design inside Morris’ Mount Pleasant shop. “I hope it’s going to be even better than his kitchen now.”
The menu will be similar to the one found in Mount Pleasant, Morris said. You don’t have to be an Ethos member to order from the Tres Palmas downtown store, but Morris will have some new items geared toward gym goers, including smoothies and bowls with added protein and supplements, grab-and-go bites and Counter Culture espresso.
“I’m definitely going to try my best to make that whole ordering system as seamless as possible for all the members of the new gym,” said Morris, explaining that folks will be able to place orders before their workout for quick pick-up afterwards. Once open, Morris hopes to build the same loyal following he’s grown in Mount Pleasant’s I’On neighborhood.
“One of our huge things is we try to build a personal relationship with everyone, and that’s something that we try and preach to everyone that works for us,” he said. “It’s important that I make sure (downtown is) a success for me and the Tres Palmas team, and it’s huge that I make it a success for Joey too.”
Stay cool. Support City Paper.
City Paper has been bringing the best news, food, arts, music and event coverage to the Holy City since 1997. Support our continued efforts to highlight the best of Charleston with a one-time donation or become a member of the City Paper Club.