Juice Wars! Downtown Laguna Beach About to Get Fruity

The Laguna Beach Planning Commission Wednesday night approved two businesses in the downtown village, both of which specialize in juice.

One, Living Juice, will move into the space in the Lumberyard previously occupied by the Laguna Beach Dog Company at 384 Forest Ave. You might recognize the name (and owner Jamie Jensen) from her regular presence at the Saturday Farmer's Market.

The shop will, according to its conditional use permit, "sell pre-packaged gourmet organic vegetable and fruit juices." They support local, organic farmers and obtain all of their produce from Southern California suppliers. The store will offer an assortment of 16 raw, organic and cold-pressed juices, pressed, mixed and bottled off-site at their commercial kitchen in Santa Ana.

The proposed hours of Living Juice will be 7 a.m.-9 p.m., seven days a week. You can click up their website here.

The other business will be replacing the Golden Spoon frozen yogurt shop at 272 Broadway. Like Living Juice, the Nekter Juice Bar will specialize in all-natural cold-pressed juices, but these—in addition to smoothies, specialty drinks and acai bowls—will be made on-site. All juices will be organic, gluten-free and vegan snacks will be available, and the shop's interior will feature rotating art from Laguna-only artists.

Nekter Juice Bar is part of a mini-chain of outlets in Orange County, with other locations including Costa Mesa, Corona Del Mar, Laguna Niguel and Anaheim Hills.

Planned hours are 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Click up their website right here.