Charlotte's bowl-and-smoothie wars are about to heat up. Playa Bowls has inked a multi-unit franchise deal that will roll out several shops across the Charlotte metro, with the first planned for Tega Cay, South Carolina. The agreement is being driven by multi-unit operators Coleen Jeter and her cousin Robin Richards, setting the stage for a fresh wave of açaí and smoothie options in the suburbs.
Deal details and operators
As first reported by WhatNow Charlotte, the new agreement covers multiple units across the greater Charlotte market, although the exact Tega Cay site is still under wraps. The outlet noted that it reached out to franchise co-owner Coleen Jeter for comment but did not receive a response before publication, so for now the deal details are doing the talking.
Why Tega Cay makes sense
Tega Cay sits on a peninsula in Lake Wylie about 30 minutes south of Uptown Charlotte and has evolved into a high-demand residential pocket with strong schools and rising home values. That mix of waterfront lifestyle, family-heavy demographics and steady retail demand helps explain why a health-focused quick-serve brand would plant a flag there first, according to Finigan Group.
National growth driving local deals
Playa Bowls has been on an aggressive expansion run. The company says it opened 85 new locations in 2025 and is now closing in on roughly 400 shops across 30 states. "These agreements reflect the strong interest we're seeing from operators who are looking for a brand with broad consumer appeal and long-term growth potential," Jayson Tipp, Playa Bowls' chief development officer, said in a statement via PR Newswire. Charlotte's latest deal fits neatly into that nationwide push.
Franchisee experience and local competition
According to QSR Magazine, Jeter brings a deep bench of franchise experience, having operated multiple restaurant concepts including McDonald's, Wingstop and Crumbl Cookies. That kind of background tends to matter when you are rolling out several stores instead of just one.
They will not be walking into an empty market. Charlotte already has an active bowl and juice scene, with spots like Frutta Bowls brings acai bowls and more to Midtown and free acai frenzy as South Block juices up Plaza Midwood already vying for smoothie and açaí loyalists. Playa Bowls will be stepping into a crowded field where brand, buildout and Instagram appeal all count.
Timeline and next steps
There is no firm opening date yet, and the exact Tega Cay address has not been made public. Expect the usual sequence of lease signings, permitting and tenant build-out to play out over the coming months. Once the operators lock in a site and timeline, more details should follow, along with a better sense of when locals can start plotting their first Tega Cay açaí run.
