Smoothie King to open in Smithtown, Syosset amid Long Island expansion

National smoothie seller Smoothie King will expand on Long Island with the opening of a new location in Smithtown next month, amid what experts say is a growing demand on Long Island for health-conscious eateries.

Matthew Goldfarb, a Jersey Mike's Subs and newly minted Smoothie King franchisee, said he plans to open the 114 E. Main St. smoothie shop at Branch Plaza in April. He also plans to open another Smoothie King in Syosset this summer.

Combined, the new locations will double the retailer's footprint on Long Island, from its two existing locations in Carle Place and Melville. Dallas-based Smoothie King, founded in 1973, has more than 1,200 locations nationwide, according to its website.

The expansion comes as Long Islanders "are looking at their health more for food and beverage" establishments and broadly being more health conscious, said Dorothy Roberts, president of the Long Island Hospitality Association.

Franchisee expands

Goldfarb also operates four Jersey Mike's franchises — in Commack, East Northport, Lake Ronkonkoma and Selden  — but decided to work with Smoothie King in 2024 to expand the brand's footprint on Long Island.

Goldfarb signed a lease for both new locations last year. The Smithtown spot, which is around 1,400 square feet, was a strong fit because it sits next to a gym that will might attract hungry, health-conscious gym-goers after workouts, he said.

In Syosset, the 1,125-square-foot location at 408 Jericho Tpke. neighbors a Chipotle and a Kebab Express Halal Grill, said Derek Weinberger, vice president of Bellmore-based MGD Investments, who brokered the Syosset lease.

The Jericho Turnpike stretch is "a great fit" for Smoothie King because the other retailers attract a busy lunchtime crowd, Weinberger said. 

Goldfarb expects to hire 12 to 15 employees at each location, though he said he'll hire more for the openings.

While he hasn't operated a Smoothie King franchise before, Goldfarb said he projects each location to make between $750,000 and $800,000 in net sales in their first year, and grow from there.

Growing health trend

Smoothie King's two new stores open as a growing number of health-focused retailers expand on Long Island.

Last month, Just Salad opened a location in Massapequa Park — its ninth on Long Island — and Cava, which serves Mediterranean fare, opened its third Long Island outpost on Jericho Turnpike in East Northport, Newsday reported. Naya, a Lebanese salad and wrap spot, opened its second store on the Island in Oceanside at the end of last year.

"There's a trend right now to go towards healthy options for consumers," the Hospitality Association's Roberts said.

That trend isn't limited to food and beverage — even hotels are looking at offering more health-conscious amenities, like gyms and yoga rooms, Roberts added.

Fitness studios have similarly expanded on Long Island: CorePower Yoga plans to open its first two studios on the Island this year, BodyBar Pilates studio opened its first location in Melville at the end of last year, and the gym [solidcore] set up shop in Huntington Station in January, Newsday reported.