South Orange Police Detective Hipolito Felix has found an additional way to serve others — by opening a Tropical Juice Bar on Irvington Avenue in the Seton Village neighborhood.
“[It’s] another way for me to invest in and contribute to a community that means a great deal to me,” Felix told The Village Green. “Through my work, I have had the opportunity to get to know South Orange, its residents, local businesses and the Seton Hall community. I felt this location was a great opportunity to introduce something fresh, healthy, and welcoming for families, students, residents and visitors.
Felix and his juice bar team will hold a grand opening for the Tropical Juice Bar on Saturday, September 26 at 11 a.m.
“Entrepreneurship has also been a long standing personal goal of mine,” said Felix. “Tropical Juice Bar brings together my interest in business, healthy food and creating a positive space where people from all backgrounds can feel comfortable.”
South Orange Police Detective Hipolito Felix will open the Tropical Juice Bar with a grand opening on Saturday, September 26 at 11 a.m. (photo by Laura Griffin)
Felix plans to remain on the police force while starting his own business.
“I remain committed to serving the community through my work with the Police Department, while operating Tropical Juice Bar as a separate family business with the support of a dedicated team,” he said.
In an invitation to Village leaders, Felix described South Orange Village as “the perfect community to bring our vision to life. From natural green juices free of artificial ingredients to delicious, Caribbean-inspired meals, we are confident our menu will delight local residents, Felix said in a letter to Village leaders when inviting them to the grand opening.”
According to Tropical Juice Bar’s website, Felix signed franchise agreement in 2025 and broke ground on construction of the juice bar this past March in what had once been a mechanic’s shop. Company officials helped him break ground and celebrated the start of construction of what would be the 12th Tropical Juice Bar.
Felix told the Village Green that “the journey to opening has required a great deal of work, but I am proud to have transformed the property and to be creating new jobs and contributing to the continued growth of South Orange.”
When announcing the grand opening at last week’s Village Council meeting, Council Member Hannah Zollman, said, “We are thrilled to have a Tropical Juice Bar in South Orange. Hopefully, everyone will come and celebrate this special occasion. It’s always exciting to have businesses opening up in our community.”
