A new shake shop has moved into the ground floor of a downtown Austin apartment tower, giving residents and passersby near Pease Park and West 6th Street a fresh option for high-protein, low-sugar drinks. Fresh Monkee began a soft opening at 827 W. 12th St. on Sunday, serving shakes and a treat called Monkee Balls out of a storefront tucked beneath a six-story residential building.
The Austin location is now open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to Community Impact. The shop sits beneath The Shoal, a boutique apartment complex where studio to two-bedroom units start around $1,430 per month, according to Taco Street Locating. The six-story building, completed in 2022, emphasizes micro-units and modern urban living, putting a grab-and-go shake bar within an elevator ride of hundreds of potential customers.
From a Connecticut Storefront to a National Chain
Fresh Monkee traces back to 2014, when founder Judy Flynn opened the original location in a 650-square-foot storefront in Wethersfield, Connecticut, starting with just 10 shake recipes and under $5,000 in capital, per the company's own account on its website. Flynn said she wanted to bring a beverage loaded with high-quality fiber, carbs, healthy fats and simple ingredients to the market, according to the brand's website, after growing frustrated with the artificial syrups and low-fiber blends common at standard juice bars.
That small shop has since grown into a franchise with more than 30 open locations across 13 states and signed development deals across 19 states as of December, the company said in a release distributed via EIN Presswire. The brand also launched its first proprietary mobile app in December, and actor and fitness advocate Mario Lopez joined as a development partner that same month, tasked with leading the chain's expansion across California.
How the Austin Store Fits Into Fresh Monkee's Texas Push
The downtown Austin shop is the franchise's fourth in Texas. Fresh Monkee made its initial Texas debut in Richardson on July 1, 2025, establishing a foothold in the Dallas-Fort Worth area before expanding into Arlington and Katy, according to CultureMap Dallas. Plans for the West 12th Street location were first reported in July 2025, meaning the site spent more than a year in buildout and permitting before its soft opening this week, per WhatNow Austin.
Opening a Fresh Monkee franchise is not cheap. According to 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document filings reviewed by Franchise Grade, the total estimated initial investment ranges between $155,000 and $317,000, including a $50,000 initial franchise fee. The company formally began national franchising in 2022, the filings show.
What's on the Menu
The Austin location serves high-fiber, low-sugar protein shakes alongside Monkee Balls, a bite-sized treat made with natural peanut butter, oat flour, chocolate whey protein, maple syrup and vanilla extract, then rolled in semi-sweet chocolate chips and coconut oil, per Community Impact. Menu options include the Banana Split, made with milk, vanilla protein, unsweetened coconut shreds, banana, pineapple and strawberries and topped with more coconut shreds, and the Caramel Coffee Buzz, blended from milk, cream, vanilla protein, coffee ice cubes, vanilla extract, stevia and sugar-free caramel drizzle.
Beyond the Austin store's own menu, the chain's broader lineup includes calorie-dense Mass Shakes packing up to 880 calories for athletic recovery and a dog-friendly Puppy Shake made with pumpkin puree, natural peanut butter and banana, according to The Business Journal.
A Bigger Bet on Protein and Smoothies
The Austin opening arrives as the ready-to-drink protein beverage category grows rapidly nationwide. The U.S. protein shake market recorded 1.251 billion bottles sold in 2024 and is projected to reach 3.389 billion bottles by 2033, a compound annual growth rate of 11.5%, according to Mark & Spark Solutions. The broader global smoothies market was valued at $12.5 billion in 2023 and is projected to hit $23.1 billion by 2030, with North America leading global revenue share at 45.5%, per Grand View Research.
Fresh Monkee has already brought its shakes to other parts of the country this year, including a new Massachusetts storefront that opened in Southborough in March. For downtown Austin residents living above the shop at The Shoal, the new location offers a shake and a snack without ever leaving the building.
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