Ruby Jean’s Juicery opens limited-menu location inside the Whole Foods Market by UMKC

When customers walk into Kansas City’s Whole Foods Market, one of the first things they will now see is a locally owned juice and smoothie station.

Ruby Jean’s Juicery plans a grand opening at 11:11 a.m. today at 301 E. 51st St., near the University of Missouri-Kansas City. It will have live music, giveaways and other activities for families. The first 250 customers will receive a free gift bag.

The location will have a limited Ruby Jean’s Juicery menu of smoothies, performance shakes, hand-crafted juice, and Healthy Bites, including acai bowls and avocado toast.

The store-within-a-store is part of Whole Foods Market’s “Friends” program. The company partners with outside chefs and lifestyle brands to “bring shoppers innovative in-store experiences.”

They must meet the chain’s standards, which prohibit hydrogenated fats, high-fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners.

Whole Foods Market said the Friends venues are “semi-permanent” locations and occasionally rotate.

Chris Goode founded Ruby Jean’s Juicery in mid-2015, naming it after his late grandmother. He now has locations downtown and at 3000 Troost Ave. He also has a Springfield location.

He always does his openings at 11:11, feeling those are his lucky numbers. For example, his downtown location is at 1111 Main, the Troost location opened on Nov. 11, 2017, and he named his now 10-month-old son Levin.

“I’m a man of faith, and I think God speaks to us in different ways,” he said.

This story was originally published August 17, 2019 at 5:00 AM.