Jugo Salad & Juice Bar shutting its doors in Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- After six years in business, Jugo Salad & Juice Bar's Fresno locations are closing for good while the Clovis location remains open.

Owner and restaurateur Lewis Everk says inflation, interest rates and the rising cost of wages have made it hard for small businesses to stay afloat.

"I think with the cost of goods across the board, it's made it really difficult for local business people to sustain these higher costs. It really leaves no room left for a profit," Everk said.

Thursday was the last day for Jugo's Northeast Fresno location, while the Northwest Fresno location shut down two weeks ago.

"Some of the employees we're going to try to have work at other concepts that we own, and some of them, unfortunately, will be laid off," Everk explained. "It's kind of telling of the times we're in."

Everk owns several other businesses in the Central Valley and says this is not a goodbye but a see you later.

He plans to create a second generation of Jugo with a new name-- taking some of the business to Nashville.

"We're going to open up with full kitchens and expand our product line to kind of offset some of the costs that we are having to face now with the product mix that we serve currently," Everk said.

He says he's moving the business outside of California due to the lower costs in Tennessee.

"A state like Tennessee, the minimum wage for a tipped employee, which most of our employees are $2.13 an hour," Everk explained. "In California, it's currently for any minimum wage employee $15.50, soon to be $16 come January."

He says he can hire seven employees in Nashville for the cost of one in California.

All of Everk's other businesses in the Central Valley, from The Woodward American Grill to Vyxn Restaurant and Lounge and more, will remain open.

The Woodward American Grill in Northeast Fresno will be adding the second generation of Jugo into the restaurant.

That new addition is expected to open after the new year.

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