Some of us are still trying to figure out what we want to be when we grow up. Then there's Nick Guzman (behind the counter above and below) who has three businesses under his belt, and he's only 23! Two of these businesses, MAStorage (since sold) and Mass Drinks, were started when Nick was a student at Amherst College, class of 2011. Nick, along with business partner Sarah Hazelkorn, opened Green Bean, a healthy salad and wrap restaurant at 232 N. Euclid (just south of Maryland) last December. Judging by the varied patrons I've observed on several visits to Green Bean —neighbors, local business people, out-of-town visitors staying at the Chase (including a Comedian who was in town for a performance), students from W.U. and S.L.U.—it appears that Nick's business acumen remains intact.
When I first heard that people from Washington, D.C. were opening a restaurant featuring locally-grown seasonally-available ingredients on Euclid, it seemed odd. Then I learned that Sarah, a friend of Nick's from D.C., is a junior (yes, a junior!) at Washington University. If the eat-in, carry-out restaurant is successful, Nick and Sarah plan to expand the concept to other cities. In the few short months it's been opened, Green Bean has already been named to General Mills's "Eat Better America" program.
Everything is pretty simple and straight-forward at Green Bean, including the decor. Being environmentally conscious–and working within their budget–Nick and Sarah recycled wood left behind by the previous business and made bench-seating and counters.
The young entrepreneurs partnered with Chef Peter Pastan (8-year James Beard "Best Chef Mid-Atlantic" semifinalist), to develop the concept including menu, seasonal recipe development, and purchasing expertise. Chef Pastan, whose children grew up with Nick, has two successful restaurants in D.C., Obelisk on Dupont Circle, and the popular 2 Amys pizza restaurant. At this point in my interview with Nick I had to pause and ask if entrepreneurship is in his gene pool??? Or, did his parents discuss business opportunities every night at the dinner table? In his laid-back, low-key manner, Nick replied, "No…not really."
Ordering at Green Bean takes some thought. You can stick with the combinations suggested on the clever menu ("seoul train," "turducken," the vegan "mermaid," etc., $8 to $10), or create your own salad or wrap starting at $6. Extras cost, well, extra. For kids of all ages there are pb&j roll-ups, $2.50, and veggies & dip, $1. Seasonal soups, $3.50 a cup, keg wine, $6, and local beer, $4, are also on the menu.
On my second visit to Green Bean I tried the "cobb-out" combination as a wrap, $8.50, above and below–it turned out to be my favorite.
Chilled Cake Balls, $1 each, from local baker Kaylen Wissinger's Farm Fresh Cupcakes are available for dessert.
Spring-y Green Bean t-shirts are $15 to $20; and as you would expect, recycling is encouraged down to the very last straw, see above.
Green Bean, 232 N. Euclid, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, (314) 361-4444.
This P.S. is a little off-point but as long as I'm talking about food, it's worth mentioning:
In early February I met neighbor Emma Hand, the creator of Snap Story, and her friend Stephanie Pollack (the redhead in a photo with Nick, above), at Green Bean for lunch. Emma, a big promoter of mine, had been trying to set up a meeting to discuss blogging with Steph who writes the successful "Cupcake Project" blog. Steph was also a finalist in the RFT's 2012 St. Louis Web Awards. Between bites of a great "citrus caesar" salad, and "cobb-out" wraps for my companions, we discussed Steph's jaw-dropping 1,000,000 hits a month on her blog, and her latest creation: Buffalo Chicken Wing Cupcakes. She came up with the cupcake recipe for Super Bowl Sunday and made them again for a "chef's night out" dinner. I had a hard time imagining the combination as a savory cupcake, but apparently they were a big hit with the chefs—a pretty tough audience. And while I can never imagine receiving that many hits on Nicki's Central West End Guide, it was interesting to learn how another young entrepreneur has created a successful business out of a simple idea.
these types of healthy salad/wrap chains have popped up all over D.C. i’m really happy to see the concept coming to STL (apparently from a D.C. transplant no less)! hopefully they’ll multiply quickly.