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Couple serves tasty treats to Athens side-by-side
Posted on 11/24/2009 by Mary Boyce Hicks |
Nathan Sonke and Jacelyn McCall, co-owners of Smoothie King and Marble Slab Creamery
A day in the life of Nathan Sonke and Jacelyn McCall finds them serving custom-ordered items to local students and families alike. From protein to peanut M&Ms, they are enhancing and mixing-in—but usually not at the same time! They jointly own Smoothie King and Marble Slab, which sit next to one another in Five Points, and the Smoothie King located in the Omni Club on Broad (which is open to the public, not just Omni members). In 1998, while still a UGA undergrad, Nathan took over the Five Points Smoothie King franchise. Originally from Marietta, he and Jacelyn met through mutual friends while she was getting her masters degree in the Grady College at UGA. A native of Vero Beach, Florida, Jacelyn designed kitchens until she decided to join Nathan at Smoothie King. Both having degrees from UGA, they acknowledge that their experience of Athens is far different now as locals, but appreciate both the student life and their lives now. “Athens keeps you young,” Jacelyn says. “It’s perfectly placed—Atlanta is close, and you can go hiking or be at the beach in a matter of hours. And [unlike her native Florida] you still get the seasons!”
After owning only the Five Points Smoothie King for many years, in 2006, they bought Marble Slab, complete with a glass door between that allows them easy access between the shops. Jacelyn says her favorite part of working at Marble Slab is that the customers are always happy to come in. “You rarely see a frustrated customer at Marble Slab,” she says. “Even if the line is long, people know that they will get ice cream at the end.” In December of 2008, they opened the Omni Club location of Smoothie King, which they say is an entirely different location—they have far more regulars who desire the health-related smoothie options. At Five Points, their best sellers are the Angel Food and Carribean Way, though they themselves prefer to branch out and try new combinations. Nathan says he makes himself about two Smoothies a day, proof that they enjoy their product as much as their customers do. They enjoy interacting with their customers and support many Athens charities, both personally and through their businesses. Jacelyn is especially involved in Cancer Auxiliary. So, whether serving up ice cream or smoothies, this couple is hard at work handing out sweetness to Athenians of all types.