Fresh101 Brings Smoothie Bowls to Midtown

Back in 2016, Monique Dooley, co-founder of Go! Smoothies, left her business. It was an opportunity to reshape, rethink and return to the basics of her strongest commitment: the community. It started with creating a smoothie bowl – an often-eclectic mix of fresh fruits – and, somewhere along the path to personal discovery, Fresh101 was born. A former educator, Dooley felt the need for a health-conscious Detroit. "I saw how students were eating and how it affected their learning capabilities," Dooley says. "I was always interested in holistic health."

Newly opened in Midtown on Jan. 1, Fresh101 originated as a pop-up in TechTown and other spots around the city. Then, fate intervened when Dooley met with a sorority sister over smoothies. Dr. Denise Mallett, a college professor, discussed being an investor – which evolved into a partnership. Mallett, who describes herself as a "committed customer," loved the products. "It made sense to me," Mallett says. "It's bigger than an investment. Our timing is right."

Dooley hopes her vegan-friendly, dairy-free establishment will resonate with metro Detroiters. "I just want Fresh101 to be that location where you can get something clean (and) quick and that's premium quality," she says. "We're really about quality whole foods."

Fresh101

4240 Cass Ave., Suite 100, Detroit