by TaLeiza Calloway
news@thenewsleaders.com
Energy Avenue, a nutrition club, has returned to St. Joseph and is under new ownership. Co-owners Joe Marcoux and Laura Schultz opened the business April 12 at 14 N. College Ave.
The return of the business stems from demand, timing and location. With Schultz days away from graduation and the couple deciding to open a nutrition club, St. Joseph fit their plans.
“When we came into the town, we really liked the atmosphere,” Marcoux said. “Since it was essentially an established club, we thought it was a great opportunity to keep it going.”
The first thing customers will notice when entering the business is a bright aesthetic of lime-green paint, an added office and a new menu.
Marcoux and Schultz are personal wellness coaches. Energy Avenue is an independent distributor of Herbalife products, Marcoux said. Herbalife offers programs that include focus on weight management, nutrition, energy and fitness, and personal care.
“It’s a place for people to come and feel like there’s a personal connection with your wellness coach,” Marcoux said. “Overall, it’s a nutrition concept.”
Schultz said the business is centered on health and nutrition.
“It’s all about wellness,” Schultz said. “And getting your body to the best place it can possibly be. It’s a high-energy fun place.”
Even though it’s a nutrition club, one does not have to be a “member” to enjoy its offerings. Membership is not required. All are encouraged to stop in and try a high-protein shake or meal replacement and herbal tea with aloe—a product that helps repair digestive systems and boost metabolisms, the owners said. A shake is between 200 and 300 calories and has 20 vitamins and minerals. Marcoux said it has as much nutritional value as about a 3,000-calorie normal-sized cooked meal at home.
Energy Avenue offers programs ranging from multivitamins and fiber to stabilizing blood sugar and more. Here’s what it’s not.
“It’s more of a ‘Come in and learn about good nutrition (place).’” Marcoux said. “It’s not really a supplement store.”
Schultz, an Alexandria native, is finishing a degree in communications from the University of Minnesota. Marcoux, originally from New York, lives in St. Paul. The couple serves as the only employees of the business, but others who are curious about the business and its products are invited to visit the business and learn more, they said.
Energy Avenue is open 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday. The addition of evening and weekend hours is still being determined depending on demand.
Owners hope to host a fit club in the future to get people active. The business also offers weight-loss challenges.
