Daily Juice Closes Abruptly, Equipment Auction to Come
Austin’s roaring river of green juice dwindles to a trickle
By A. Richmond, 1:10PM, Fri. Jan. 20, 2023
Your easy access to fresh cold-pressed juices just took a beating. After serving Austinites for twenty years, Daily Juice will cease operations at their remaining three locations on January 22.
Via a tender “we are closing” letter posted on their website and social media accounts, the Daily Juice team said they are “sad to go but hope we are leaving everybody a little healthier than when we found each other.” They included the kind reminder that if you are holding a Daily Juice gift card or any redeemable points, hurry the heck in to get a fresh juice or smoothie while it’s possible.
Founded in 2003 by Keith Wahrer and Matt Shook, and owned and operated since 2015 by Joanie and Cary Frieden, the Daily Juice had the goal of making fresh, healthy foods convenient. With several locations blending into the Austin area, Daily Juice maintained a low-key vibe while being an anchor in the fresh juice and whole food scene.
Neither food nor juice bars are an infinite resource, and the Daily Juice team has been transparent about the reasons for the closure. In the letter posted, they cited the “last tough year of rising food costs, labor costs and rents.” And their hopes are that the auction of their equipment will serve a dual function of bringing in cash to pay the final bills, and to give bonuses to staff.
Cary Frieden said, “Some team members have been with us for over a decade. We want to give a bonus to people on the way out, and to thank them for staying open in our last week.
“Even though we were sad to end this, we’ve loved this journey the whole time. It was the right decision for us to make at the time, considering what we have on our plates, with our lives, our families, our kids.”
You have a narrow window, but Frieden says, “this is a great time to get a deal on one of our commercial refrigerators,” plus more in the Daily Juice equipment auction. Frieden said there’s some signage available, including signs from long-ago eras (technically it’s vintage), juicers, shelving, a steel table, and a popcorn machine. Peruse the entire list here.
Editor's note: An early version of this story incorrectly stated the Friedens have owned Daily Juice since its inception; in fact, it was founded in 2003 by Keith Wahrer and Matt Shook. The Chronicle regrets the error.
A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.
Feb. 15, 2024
June 30, 2023
Daily Juice, closings, Cary Frieden
