By Maire Crooks, The Current Co-Editor in Chief
Howard County is home to various dinner restaurants, ice cream stores, and lunch spots. However, what has not graced the area is a juice bar, until now. The Fruitful Juice Bar recently opened their first location in the River Hill Square and has been welcomed with excited customers.
The juice bar is quickly gaining popularity, with numerous River Hill students both visiting and working there. A lot of positive feedback has been received; Sara Khan, fellow RHHS student and Fruitful employee, exclaims, “The customers are amazing and kind… and all of our products are fresh.”
The atmosphere of the drink spot is notable; the store is decorated with their signature colors, chartreuse and brown, providing a bright, refreshing environment. Flowers cover the ceiling, and a comfortable area with cushions and stools holds games for children and adults alike to enjoy. As Pooja Swamykumar, River Hill junior and Fruitful employee, remarks, “The decorations really make Fruitful an inviting place.”
Seating Area 
Game Space
Their menu consists of a variety of drinks and fresh snacks, including blends, fruit and oat based bowls, cold-pressed juices, waffles, and fruit teas. Items suit a wide range of palettes, ranging from vitamin-packed green juices to peanut butter and cacao blends.
“My favorite item is probably the strawberry fruit tea, or the oatmeal; they both taste so good,” mentions Sara. She explains that she usually hates tea, but thoroughly enjoys the ones on Fruitful’s menu. “The oatmeal grains are very large and melt in your mouth,” she adds.
For a satisfying meal, Pooja recommends the avocado toast they “recently introduced; it is a great breakfast and also a good snack.”
In addition to their eye-catching menu, employees also speak positively about the work environment the new establishment has created. Sara says it is “the best I’ve ever experienced….I learn so much every time I work and I have fun at the same time!” Sara previously worked at the Koshary Corner in the Common Kitchen, but that position “was coming to an end as it’s leaving the Common Kitchen at the end of the year.”
Pooja loves her job as well: “I absolutely adore my employer. She is kind, and so flexible and makes sure we put ourselves first.”
Pooja has been looking forward to working at Fruitful ever since she desired a summer job: “I was looking out for hiring information ever since I heard about it… They first said they would open during summer but they actually ended up opening in [the] fall.”
The Fruitful Juice Bar is open seven days a week, providing many opportunities for River Hill students to visit. The store also has a wide range of hours: they are open from 6:30am-7pm Monday through Friday. “I was not expecting to be as busy after 5pm but we usually have a steady stream of customers coming in. Saturday around brunch time is probably our busiest time,” articulates Pooja.
Regarding the future of the restaurant, the staff expects that the customer base and variety of food will continue to rise. “We did open when it got colder so I expect the amount of customers to increase when it gets warmer,” Pooja speculates.
The River Hill community looks forward to what is to come for Fruitful Juice Bar and is excited to welcome the new business.