Client: Smoothie King
Location: Nationwide
Project Type: Quick Service Restaurant
Areas Supplied: Counters, Store Floors, Back of House, Restrooms
Products: Ageless, Metropolis, Omni, Nimble, Quarry
A health enthusiast on a mission to create a meal option for specific food allergic and lactose intolerant dietary needs set his dream in motion with a small food stand in East Hollywood. That seed of ingenuity blossomed into one of the most sought-after culinary delights of all time – the smoothie. A commitment to nutrition and wellness, catering to a variety of health and fitness goals, has exploded into location expansion.
Smoothie King, a global leader in the smoothie industry, sought to elevate their franchise locations’ aesthetic and functional design. The goal was to create cohesive, high-quality interiors that met their budget constraints and operational needs while offering franchisees and contractors flexibility in material choices.
Smoothie King required a unique design for the restroom tiles, including a red grout to match their branding and enhance the visual appeal of their signature red wall tiles.
While falling out of favor in the market, the desired 12”x12” floor tile format fits their aesthetic requirements. Compatibility between front-of-house and back-of-house flooring materials was critical for a cohesive design and operational practicality. Additionally, integrating multiple trim details required precise coordination to ensure a polished finish between different surfaces. Freight costs were a significant concern, and the client wanted a solution to eliminate or minimize this expense for franchisees.
To meet Smoothie King’s unique design and operational needs several bespoke solutions were developed. A custom red grout was created to perfectly complement their red restroom wall tiles, enhancing the overall brand aesthetic.
A custom cove base was also designed to match the 12”x12” tiles, ensuring consistency in design and function. Despite the decreasing popularity of the 12”x12” tile format, a domestically manufactured option was sourced that aligned with their design preferences and budget constraints.
Two options were provided to address back-of-house flooring needs: a traditional quarry tile for durability and a porcelain tile that transitions smoothly to the front-of-house tiles. Eight different Schluter products were supplied for trim details to achieve a polished finish between the floor and wall tiles.
Finally, a delivered program was introduced that integrated freight costs into full-order pricing, effectively eliminating additional freight expenses for franchisees and streamlining the material delivery process.
Addressing Smoothie King’s specific challenges with tailored solutions, enabled Creative Materials to deliver a comprehensive package aligning with their aesthetic, operational, and financial goals. This partnership showcases the value of innovative problem-solving and client-focused service in creating effective commercial spaces.
“From beginning to end, I am confident that our franchisees and GC’s are taken care of by the team at Creative Materials Corporation. I couldn’t ask for better communication, account support and ordering process from a vendor.”
Gabbi Funk – Construction Project Manager | Smoothie King
To learn more about the benefits of partnering with Creative Materials for National Tile Supply Programs, click here to watch Gabbi Funk’s testimonial.
