Local couple expands their hive with the acquisition of a beloved cafe

After eight years at the helm of Humble B Beekeeping, Jeremy and Kim Bradshaw are ready for their next chapter as owners of the Juice Cafe.DAR/Joe McGraw

After eight years at the helm of Humble B Beekeeping, Jeremy and Kim Bradshaw are ready for their next chapter as owners of the Juice Cafe on Westwood Boulevard. Jeremy said they already supplied honey to the cafe under the previous owners. The couple saw the business was for sale and bought it only a few days later.

“That just kind of sparked us,” Jeremy remarked.

After taking possession of the store, the Bradshaws were fast at work remodeling the space and learning the ropes. In their day jobs, Jeremy is a locomotive engineer for Union Pacific, and Kim is the director of recruiting for CCI. They will also continue the honey business, which stocks more than 50 stores, according to Jeremy.

The couple joked all their friends said they wouldn’t have enough time to balance all of their commitments. The Bradshaws noted they aren’t tackling the challenge alone.

Jake Bradshaw, son of Jeremy and Kim Bradshaw, is among the staff taking the helm at The Juice Cafe.DAR/Joe McGraw

Kim’s son Jake and longtime employee Taylor buzz behind the counter making smoothies and specialty drinks during the cafe’s business hours of 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Opening an hour earlier than the previous owners allows for the early morning crowd to make it to the Juice Cafe before work, the Bradshaws said.

Kim noted this move brought back a regular customer who had not come to the cafe since before COVID.

“One of our biggest goals for this is consistency,” Jeremy expressed.

The transition to having a brick-and-mortar location has presented its unique set of challenges, Kim said.

“You have to change your mentality,” Jeremy added.

Nonetheless, the Juice Cafe is hitting its stride with a commitment to locally sourced ingredients and providing healthy options to the community.

“We’re going to bring more healthy options to the menu,” Kim affirmed.

New options include acai bowls and veggie roll-ups, while she assured the popular chicken salad would remain a staple on the menu. Kim emphasized they are committed to listening to customer feedback.

“We want to see what they want,” she said.

Jeremy stated the input received since the cafe’s soft opening on Monday, Feb. 24, has been positive.

“I think we’ve had a great response,” he recounted. “We’re loving the feedback.”

Also on the horizon are a new loyalty rewards program and gift cards. For future goals, the Bradshaws hope to distribute their product throughout Poplar Bluff with fridges and deliveries to businesses.

“We really want to open things up for people to try,” Jeremy shared.

“We want to bring a healthier option to Poplar Bluff,” Kim echoed.

The business celebrated a grand opening Saturday.