Smooth(ie) Operator

Main Squeeze has become a summertime savior thanks to its smoothie and juice bar operations. 

Nutritional pick-me-ups can be an anytime delight, but we are all especially deserving of them when warmer weather arrives. Since May 15, Main Squeeze, 2510 S. Broad St., has been helping customers be kind to themselves through smoothies, juices, and bowls abounding in delectable combinations and protein options. 

“This place is something that the neighborhood needed and that I wanted to bring to fruition,” co-owner Louie Derr said inside his two-month-old Lower Moyamensing destination. “I’m passionate about helping people to live healthy lives, and we think we have a great spot to get that done.”

The shop is a three-year-old dream for the Girard Estate resident, who runs the establishment with his New Jersey-based cousin Frank Accardo. Main Squeeze offers more than two dozen selections, with hot and ice-brewed coffees as complements. Derr is winning regard through acai, pitaya, and kale bowls. One especially unique choice: Peanut Butter Jelly Time acai bowl featuring granola, strawberries, walnuts, and either peanut or almond butter. 

“That’s a good one, for sure, but people absolutely love the Frutti Tutti,” the overseer said in a nod to the site’s bestseller—a bowl with granola, strawberries, blueberries, honey, and Main Squeeze’s acai blend. 

Destined to “keep things South Philly around here,” Derr peddles The Flyin’ Hawaiian pitaya bowl and Philly Special kale bowl as tributes to former Phillie Shane Victorino and the Super Bowl LII-winning Eagles. The bowls sell for $8.99 or $11.99.

While the bowls are proving the go-to items for most customers, the juices and the smoothies are the potable stars, especially the Chunky Monkey smoothie that calls on a banana, peanut butter, dates, cinnamon, honey, and almond milk to shine and the Orange Creamsicle protein smoothie that uses the titular fruit, a banana, honey, almond milk, and vanilla whey protein to satisfy cravings. 

“We want everything that we sell to help people to make healthy decisions,” the businessman said of his brainchild, which also recently catered a 120-item order for the cast of the television series “Servant.” “We do a secret menu on Wednesdays that helps us to do that.”

Come the winter, Main Squeeze will be open every day of the week. For now, those who want to indulge in Derr’s treats need to stop between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. 

“I’ve been a business owner for 15 years, and trying to help people never gets old,” Derr said. “With this model, we just want to become a neighborhood constant.”