MIDLAND, MI – Steve Scott has had a strong entrepreneurial drive since high school, leading him to present day with several operational businesses out of Midland.
Continuously searching for the “Fountain of Youth,” Scott said he wanted to bring healthier food and drink options to the Tri-Cities area, like the experiences he had in other cities.
Craft Juice Company, 140 Ashman St., Suite A, opened in November 2024 and offers clean eating options in fresh, cold-pressed juices, nutrient dense smoothies and whole ingredient-based foods.
Scott said the decision to offer cold-pressed juices was made because it retains the maximum amount of nutrients out of the fruits and vegetables, even though it’s not the fastest method.
“There might be a wait, but that’s because we are making it fresh for you to go,” Scott said.
Some of the food menu items include yogurt bowls, overnight oats, rotating salads, vegetables with hummus and more to come.
Manager Leesa Battershell added they are very proud to serve cold-pressed juices and partner with local businesses to offer different kinds of produce throughout the year.
“It’s all fresh and not prepackaged, purees and additives and things. We hand select all our produce,” Battershell said. “It’s prepped right in front of you. A lot of care is going into every drink, every dish.”
At the Craft Juice Company, some of the most popular juices include the Green Glow, featuring green apple, lime, cucumber, spinach and ginger.
As for smoothies, Battershell said the peanut butter banana is a hit, featuring peanut butter, banana, almond milk and honey.
There are free add-ons to the smoothies including cinnamon, nutmeg, coconut flakes, sea salt, pepper, turmeric powder and cayenne.
For a $2 upcharge, customers can choose to add protein powder, seeds (hemp, chia, flax), peanut butter, maple syrup, honey or cocoa power to their smoothies.
They also offer wellness shots to boost the immune system.
Scott said they try and monitor which drinks or clean dishes are trending on social media so community members can find those kinds of things locally.
Scott’s drive to educate others and offer healthy options extends beyond just nutrition.
Several years ago, Scott survived cancer.
During that battle, Scott said he used cannabis to offset the effects of chemotherapy and understood firsthand how this plant could majorly impact and better lives of those in pain.
Scott said he studied and received a certification in the cannabis plant as well as the endocannabinoid system to be able to share his knowledge with others.
“I wanted to bring my knowledge so that people could use cannabis-based medicines for what God intended them to be, instead of buying gas station CBD that wouldn’t help anyone,” Scott said.
He decided to open his own business to educate and help people, Craft Hemp Company, at the end of 2019.
Scott and Battershell are extremely knowledgeable about hemp products, and they said they prefer to consult with customers to identify specific issues before suggesting which products could work best for them.
Each business highlights the importance of health and Scott and Battershell are excited to be in the heart of downtown and help as many people as possible.
When you walk into the building, Craft Hemp Company is seen first and then the juice bar is toward the back of the space.
Battershell said the businesses are completely separate, operating as two businesses in one space.
Creating a family-friendly space was very important. Scott said. and that’s exactly what you’ll find in the building.
While they do sell hemp products, they are not a dispensary. There is no age requirement to enter the establishment.
“Cannabis either has a bunch of CBD in it or a bunch of THC in it, that’s how you look at it. It’s all the same plant,” Scott said. “If you want to get healthy, you come here.
“We’re here just to make people healthy.”
Craft Juice Company is open Monday through Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Craft Hemp Company offers the same hours except is open until 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday.
Learn more information on the Craft Juice Company website here and the Facebook page here.
Learn more about the Craft Hemp Company on the website here and the Facebook page here.
Would you like MLive to feature your favorite restaurant in Michigan’s Best Local Eats? Send the details, including business name, address and best menu item, to Kaytie Boomer at kboomer@mlive.com.
Want more Bay City- and Saginaw-area news? Bookmark the local Bay City and Saginaw news page or sign up for the free “3@3″ daily newsletter for Bay City and Saginaw.
Craft Juice Company focuses on maximum nutrition through cold-pressed methods, partnering with local businesses for ingredients as much as possible. Read More
