With the grand opening of The Dancing Blender Smoothie Company today on 121 South Orange Avenue, Manny Adeleye has come full circle in South Orange.
Adeleye is the owner of the new smoothie/juice/wrap/salad restaurant which held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. today followed by live music, free samples, and giveaways.
Way back in 1996 when Manny Adeleye opened Booey’s, a smoothie and juice bar in South Orange, he might have been a bit too far ahead of his time.
Although smoothie spots and juice bars were opening up as early as the 1970s and 1980s, they didn’t really become mainstream until after the millenium.
In 2004, Adeleye sold Booey’s — which was located where Ariyoshi now is and then later moved a few blocks away to Village Plaza — and returned to a career in the corporate world. The new owners changed the name to “It’s a Wrap.” It closed after a few years.
But Adeleye, a self-taught chef, always thought he might return to the restaurant business, and to South Orange.
“Now I’m back,” said Adeleye in a recent phone interview with The Village Green in August, to recreate what Booey’s used to be.
The Dancing Blender offers smoothies, juices, wraps and salads, all freshly prepared, in a comfortable environment with free WiFi. “There’s nothing like this around,” said Adeleye.
Adeleye is hoping The Dancing Blender will be a hit with locals as well as Seton Hall University students, who will be able to use their meal plan at the restaurant.
“We are excited to welcome The Dancing Blender to South Orange,” said Bob Zuckerman, Executive Director of the South Orange Village Center Alliance (SOVCA). “Many people have been asking for a restaurant in our downtown that serves healthy food such as juices, wraps and salads, and The Dancing Blender should definitely fit that bill. Everyone at SOVCA wishes Manny the very best of luck!”
The Dancing Blender Smoothie Company, 121 South Orange Avenue, South Orange, NJ, (p) 973.821.5707, www.thedancingblender.com
