By Joyce Rowley

People’s Pressed Juice Bar at New Bedford’s new Co-Creative Center on Union Street.

While on a rock climbing trip in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Amanda Desrosiers walked into a juice bar and thought: New Bedford needs this—this is the one thing we’re missing. “Juicing helps your body from the inside out,” Amanda said. “You don’t know how much you need it until you’re away from it for a while.”

Amanda, 28, began juicing shortly after earning her BFA at Suffolk University’s New England School of Art and Design, where she developed a different outlook on the relationship between health, exercise, and diet.

Now Amanda’s fresh, cold-pressed juice business fulfills that dream as the People’s Pressed Juice Bar at New Bedford’s new Co-Creative Center on Union Street.

The Co-Creative Center is a collaborative community effort spearheaded by New Bedford’s WHALE, Waterfront Historic Area LeaguE. A combination of artists’ live/work spaces, galleries, a makers’ space and a teaching center, it provides a place for artists to hone their craft with other artists. Amanda was so excited about having her own space here that, as it was being built, she said: “Even if there was nothing that needed to be done, sometimes I just came here and sat.”

Amanda began selling her cold-pressed juice at farmers’ markets in 2015. “Farmers’ markets were the greatest way to start. It allowed me to talk to the customers, get feedback, find out what they wanted and create a customer base geared to the community,” Amanda said.

People’s Pressed offers an informal gathering place where people can drop in, juice and chat. “I wanted to create an energized atmosphere,” Amanda said. “I’m creating a place that is a lifestyle hub for wellness. Everything on the menu is a healthy option and fuel for the body.”

 

Freshly Pressed and Ready to Go!

At the heart of People’s Pressed are juices with names like Soul-shine, made from carrots, apples, lemon, and Simply Green, a rich green juice made from cucumbers, apples, kale, lemon, and ginger. Each of the freshly made juices comes from two pounds of raw fruits and vegetables. “One of our most popular juices is called Beauty and the Beet, made from beets, carrots, apples, ginger, and lemon,” shared Amanda.

 

With the added space and the ability to accept deliveries, the move meant that Amanda could work with even more local farms and vendors. That means more opportunities to expand the menu. “We’re working on our green juices, using different herbs and lowering the sugar content,” Amanda explained.

All juices are made fresh daily through a process of soaking, chopping, or grinding the fruits and vegetables and running them through the press. Then the juice is double-strained to remove any insoluble fibers and seeds. Amanda explains, “Cold-pressed is a bolder taste, cleaner texture, and brighter color than processed juices.” Juice baristas serve smoothies and smoothie bowls topped with fresh fruit and superfoods. (Think cacao nibs, bee pollen, coconut shavings, and blueberries; throw in some sunflower or chia seeds and you’ve got superfood toppings.) And if you’re pressed for time, pick up some hand-pressed pulp crackers topped with avocado and seeds. All of the People’s Pressed offerings are vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free.

People’s Pressed
141 Union Street
New Bedford, MA 02000
(774) 992-8075
www.PeoplesPressed.com

Joyce Rowley is a freelance writer living in historic New Bedford. She enjoys trying new dishes using her fresh homegrown spices, and exploring the markets of the South Coast.