Juice bar celebrates grand opening in downtown Albany

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Blend & Brew, located in the Omni Building at 54 State Street, held its grand opening with the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District on Wednesday. The juice and smoothie bar had its soft opening in May.

Owner Samer Ekad has owned and operated juice bars in New York City for over 30 years. He and his family eventually settled in Albany and he opened Blend & Brew.

"Whatever I accept for myself, I do for the customer, and I'm happy to serve something nutritious to the customer," said Ekad. "This is my new home and the people here are welcoming, and I'm very excited to operate."

Blend & Brew serves fresh fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies, acai bowls, salads, coffee, snacks, and more. The shop is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

"We are thrilled to welcome Blend & Brew to our District; this incredible shop adds to the diverse, vibrant fabric of Downtown that keeps residents, commuters, and visitors returning to the core of our city," said Downtown Albany BID Executive Director Georgette Steffens.