In the smoothie game, if Jamba Juice can't shake it, then how can anyone else. The giant posted a $12.4M loss last quarter. So I suppose it should come as no surprise that the smaller players are being pulverized like fruit in a blender.
Just recently I noticed that two smoothie purveyors in Irvine disappeared. Maui Wowi on Main St. and also Tropical Smoothie Cafe on Barranca are gone. I only got to try Tropical Smoothie Cafe once. And they were good. Even had a sandwich there. But Maui Wowi got away from me before I had a chance.
I can't say for sure, but I don't think Maui Wowi had been around for that long — maybe a year?
Those who are loyal to Tropical Smoothie Cafe can still find one in Fullerton. Also, there still seems to be a few Maui Wowi's lying around in odd places, according to the corporate website.
Me? I prefer to eat my calories, not drink them.
Before becoming an award-winning restaurant critic for OC Weekly in 2007, Edwin Goei went by the alias “elmomonster” on his blog Monster Munching, in which he once wrote a whole review in haiku.