Ellen and Lou Calvarese are hoping to give fast food in Hockessin a fresh look.
The couple is planning to open Fresh Healthy Café, a franchise of Canadian-based Café Fresh, in Hockessin Crossing by mid-February.
The café will offer everything from soups to wraps to vitamin-fortified smoothies and provide an alternative to traditional fast food like burgers and pizza, Ellen said.
“In today’s society, you need to take control of your own health,” she said.
In an era where childhood obesity is becoming rampant, eating healthy needs to be a priority for families, she said, but it can be tough for parents in dual-income households to find time to cook nutritious meals for the kids.
And with burgers, pizza and subs among the only other options for on-the-go meals in town, the Calvareses decided it was time to give people another option.
People will be able to call or fax orders to the café for a quick pickup, she said, or relax in the dining room, which seats 25, while munching on a Panini and enjoying the free wi-fi and satellite radio.
It’s a tough time for business all around, but the Calvareses said they’re confident Hockessin’s concentration of health clubs proves there is a market for a healthy café.
Plus, their own three kids – Nick, Gabrielle and Michael – tasted and approved the food, she said, so folks who shudder at the phrase “wheat grass juice” have nothing to be afraid of from Fresh Healthy Café.
“People get it out here,” Lou said. “This is the kind of area that understands the benefits of healthy eating.”
The café will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, visit cafefresh.com.
