BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IT has become part of the daily routine of many…be it early morning, midday or later in the afternoon, dozens of individuals flock to a particular spot in downtown Basseterre to purchase a deliciously refreshing and filling smoothie.
The smoothies constitute a rich blend of fruit and dairy products, prepared by a man affectionately referred to as ‘D Smoothie Man’, who – everyday barring Saturdays and Sundays – can be found preparing his tasty blends at the junction of Princes and Fort Streets.
Speaking with SKNVibes, Pedro Harvey Wilson said his business is referred to as “The Smoothie King” and explained that it has been in operation for more than one year.
He began selling bags of pre-cut assorted fruit; a service which persons generally appreciated and he shortly after transitioned into selling his mouth-watering smoothies; a service which seems to have caught on even more than that which preceded it.
While speaking with this publication, the Vincentian said even before he left his homeland about two years ago he had intentions of selling nutritious smoothies, and he saw a window of opportunity when he was made aware of Kittitians’ love for fruits.
“I always have the smoothie business in mind, even when I was in St. Vincent. But when I came here it only took me one week to realise Kittitians have a love for fruits. I realised there is a good market for fruits…Kittitians go crazy over fruits.
“It was started over one year ago. I started right here on Princes Street. I was selling fruits first and then went into selling smoothies. I have always had the smoothies in mind, but selling smoothies takes a lot of investment and the funds were not available at the time. And there were certain things that I had to put in place before I could begin selling the smoothies.”
From all accounts, these smoothies ‘bang tight’, are to die for, quite refreshing and really, really good. And as the Smoothie King explained, it is important that he continues to keep his clientele interested in his product. As a result, the fruit combination on any given day would not be identical to that of another.
From bananas to kiwis, watermelon to strawberries, blueberries, peaches and honeydew; the possibilities are endless.
“Coming up with the smoothie combinations wasn’t hard and it wasn’t easy. When I used to farm and people visited my farm, they used to call me scientist because I am always trying out something new. I was always experimenting. I experiment daily. So I always try to come up with something creative and a new idea. I like to try new things.
“We try to give a minimum of five different fruits per day and we don’t have the same set of fruits every day. If today you come and you get banana, strawberry, papaya, pineapple or peach or whatsoever, even if you get back some of the same fruits the next day, there would be some different ones and the quantity of the different fruits may vary also.”
As predictable as the rising of the sun, the Smoothie King has his table and umbrella to provide shade from the blazing sun, and his equipment set up and ready to serve his customers on weekdays. And all one is required to do is to stand in proximity to the Smoothie King’s stall, and within moments he gives a pleasant greeting, inviting the customer to indicate how many smoothie servings they wish to purchase.
Asked if he tires with his daily routine, Harvey indicated that he has a rather interesting way of keeping himself motivated.
“I am a person who always believes in never giving up. That’s just me! I was a farmer in St. Vincent and when I used to cultivate my land and if I had a task, I would give myself a name to suit the task. For example, today I might call myself engine, or I might name myself machine and I would work towards completing the task.
“When I do that over and over again, it gets to the point where I am accustomed because of the mindset. So, automatically I just am accustomed to hard work. Sometimes, while here, I do the work of two and three people.”
What is to come from the Smoothie King? He told SKNVibes that there are plans in the pipeline for a delivery service and “some new products which will be coming on stream”.
From early-morning or late afternoon health walks to a dietary change for the better, the Smoothie King points persons in the right direction to tackle a number of diseases including obesity, hypertension and diabetes.
For a mere $8 for a 16oz glass, why not try one? Dairy or non-dairy…your choice.
