Leigh’s Ford F-150 she lived out of in the early 90s when traveling California - The original “Van Life.”
Main Squeeze has been the go-to vegetarian cafe, fresh juice & smoothie bar in Mid-Missouri since 1997. Owner Leigh Lockhart fell in love with juicing while traveling and living out of her Ford F150 in California in the early 1990’s. She settled in Columbia in 1996, got a bartending gig at Murry’s and proceeded to share her mason jar juices with the girl gang there. Shortly thereafter she began plying Skip DuCharme, owner of Lakota Coffee Company, with her tasty, fresh pressed juices and he was kind enough to let her open Main Squeeze inside the front corner of his coffee shop at 24 S. 9th St. Main Squeeze was the first fresh juice and smoothie place in Columbia and business was so good that within a year Leigh expanded into a quick service cafe 2 doors down, at its present location. The addition of a Sustainability Market in the front of our space is an opportunity to introduce some awesome products that can help reduce our impact on the environment. Bamboo toothbrushes, toothpaste tablets, shampoo bars, package free deodorant, bamboo bandaids, biodegradable razors, reusable "paper" towels, laundry strips, wool dryer balls, recycled paper journals, biodegradable poop bags and so much more...we hope you'll check it out. We still have seating (and Buddha Bowls made to order!) so feel free to grab something out of the hot or cold case, or a fresh juice or smoothie and eat in and maybe take a look around!
Take a look at the remodel that transformed this already quirky and passion-filled space with pastels, sustainable market and grab-and-go food that has given Leigh a new lease on her trademark ease with intention business model. Talk about a pivot for the ages!
Vox Magazine highlighted the sustainable and Earth-friendly approach that owner Leigh has focused on in her business revamp. Farm-fresh produce isn’t new to Columbia’s food scene. Main Squeeze, which opened in 1997 as a juice bar inside Lakota, also favors mid-Missouri producers. Main Squeeze owner Leigh Lockhart says her restaurant locally sources 30 percent of its menu to help the environment. Local products don’t have to travel as far, which translates to fewer vehicle emissions. “It’s the perfect circle of we need this product, it’s infinitely better than what we can source elsewhere, and its environmental impact is less,” Lockhart says.
| before |
| process |
All of the colors, materials and sourced finishes were purposeful with reused and recycled materials as often as we could. Leigh brought her artistic element into the entire entry wall that was once where her menus were adorned, now dedicated to her handmade mural featuring all of the colors featured throughout the space for a truly one of a kind touch that pulled the entire market together. I mean, how cool is that?!
tThis bright yellow menu wall was covered up with Leigh's handmade mural featuring pops of purple, blue and lively flowers.
| the reveal |
the new exterior update
here's a cool panoramic view of all the goodness
Until next time...