In November, Playa Bowls, the Jersey Shore’s original acai bowl shop, celebrated the opening of their milestone 100th location in the United States & Puerto Rico. The 100th store, located in Darien, Connecticut, is Playa Bowls’ third store in the state, and opened in partnership with local partners Steve Dimovski and Jarrod Jackette.
Playa Bowls is the vision of founders Robert Giuliani and Abby Taylor – Jersey Shore natives & long-time surfers. While on surf trips in Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, California and Hawaii, they discovered that every surf town offered a unique version of an acai or pitaya bowl – both energizing superfruits with a myriad of health benefits. They decided to recreate their favorite recipes with their own twist at home at the Jersey Shore.
Over the past six years, Playa Bowls has grown organically with a mix of franchised and company locations, employing 2,500+ hardworking team members in 16 states and territories. In 2019 alone, Playa Bowls sold more than 6 million bowls, and was on track to sell up to 10 million in 2020 before COVID-19 hit. Despite COVID-19, Playa Bowls has continued to grow, opening 9 additional locations since March.
Before the close of 2020, Playa Bowls will open five new locations: Reston, VA, Sparta, NJ, Temple University, PA, Warrington, PA – and a location in Littleton, Colorado, the brand’s first store out West. In 2021, Playa Bowls will expand to cities including San Antonio, New Orleans, Chicago, Columbus, Scottsdale, and Coral Springs.