Thania Medina, the owner of Thania’s Juice Bar, has turned her revamped business into a hidden gem. A mix of flavors and authenticity located at The Basement in downtown Reno, her colorful juice bar is blending culture and health in a refreshing way.
“I wanted to show a bit of my culture in a different way,” she says.
Combining her Mexican-American heritage and her passion for wellness, Thania’s Juice Bar offers freshly made health conscious options, including house made pumpkin seed, almond milks, gluten-free and nut free items.
Medina was determined to create something authentic. It’s been a process to find the right line between originality and success. At first, she began with only Mexican specialties, but as soon as she realized it wasn’t working as well as she hoped for, she began to listen to her customers and what they wanted more of, while also still keeping her culture in the mix.
From there, she added what she is most proud of which is the health aspect of her business. Her dedication to making everything in-house from milk to granola sets her apart from other juice bars.
Thania recalls one of her former loyal customers fondly. “She beat cancer one time,” she remembers.
Fruits and vegetables in Thania’s juices contain most of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can help one stay healthy. Even though the customer was from the Bay Area she says she made it a monthly trip to visit Thania’s Juice Bar in downtown Reno.
Sadly, she passed away but Thania thinks about her every day. These connections are Thania’s favorite part of owning a business.
During my visit, I ordered a matcha smoothie and a cilantro avocado bagel. Who knew something so simple could be so flavorful. Both the bagel and juice did not disappoint. All were under $15 for a refreshing, and fulfilling meal that has me wanting to go back.
As a local small business owner with two locations, one inside The Basement and the other in Incline Village, Medina enjoys meeting all her customers and hopes to help spread healthy living.