A new smoothie and crepe cafe has taken over a stretch of the Berlin Turnpike in Newington that spent nearly four decades as a vacuum repair shop, and the man behind the counter spent 16 years as a dentist before deciding to sell juice instead. Bora Bora Smoothie Cafe opened its second Connecticut location at 2394 Berlin Turnpike, where owner Mohamed Mohamed Algabyali Jr. is now running a soft opening while hiring and training a staff he expects to grow to six or seven employees.
The space previously housed Vacuum Village, a vacuum retailer that operated at the address for 38 years before its owner retired and the property was redeveloped for restaurant use, according to the Hartford Business Journal. Brokers Jay Morris and Joe Sullo led the lease negotiations last September, with commercial real estate firm O,R&L Commercial representing landlord Newington Retail Associates LLC and SM Real Estate Advisors representing Bora Bora Smoothie Cafe, the outlet reported. The turnpike corridor, officially Routes 5/15, carries an estimated 34,700 to 37,100 vehicles a day, per data cited by LoopNet, making it one of central Connecticut's busiest commercial strips.
Algabyali told the New Britain Herald that he learned about the Bora Bora franchise in New York and wanted to bring something different to the area. He said he wanted to open a bigger, family-friendly place that would stand out not just in Newington but across the state.
From Dental Chair to Smoothie Counter
Algabyali worked as a dentist overseas for more than 16 years, the paper's report notes, but he has found continuing that career difficult in the United States. Foreign-trained dentists generally must complete a two-to-three-year CODA-accredited Advanced Standing program or specialty residency, pass the Integrated National Board Dental Examination, and clear state clinical board exams before they can practice, regardless of how much experience they bring from overseas, according to the American Dental Association. Facing that steep path back into dentistry, he instead invested in his first U.S. business, opening the cafe himself.
Algabyali lives near Newington in New Britain, and the cafe has become something of a family project. His children, aged 20 and 15, are helping prepare the space for a larger opening celebration he hopes to hold in October, the report states. He also plans to extend the cafe's hours as the business grows.
A 40-Seat Space With a Pool Table
The Newington location seats about 40 people and includes private rooms for meetings and other gatherings, plus a dedicated room with table tennis, a pool table, and a large television. Algabyali added the private-room concept himself to this location and said he hopes to expand it if he opens another store. He described the cafe as family-friendly and said it aims to attract families, young people, and adults alike.
On the menu, the cafe serves crepes, waffles, and croffles — a mashup of croissant and waffle that began as a viral trend in South Korea before spreading to cafes worldwide, according to research from Bidfood. The strawberry cup and the Dubai chocolate crepe and waffle have proven especially popular, per the Herald's report. That Dubai chocolate combination of milk chocolate, pistachio cream, and toasted kataifi dough emerged as a major global dessert trend in 2024 and 2025, as reported by SFGATE.
Juices, Chai and a Kuwaiti Franchise's Connecticut Footprint
Beyond desserts, the cafe offers smoothies, fresh juices including cucumber and spinach blends, açaí bowls, coffee, and sweet and savory items. Drink options also include Spanish coffee, adeni chai, milkshakes, and other beverages. Adeni chai, a traditional Yemeni black tea spiced with cardamom, cloves, and evaporated milk, has grown in popularity nationally alongside the spread of Middle Eastern tea and coffeehouse concepts, according to Axios. Algabyali said the cafe buys high-end-quality products across the board.
Bora Bora Smoothie Cafe is a brand that originated in Kuwait. Those same records show that competitor BoraBora Fruit Juices, Inc. filed a formal Notice of Opposition in July 2024, alleging trademark infringement and potential consumer confusion over the Bora Bora Smoothie Café name and logo. The Newington store is the franchise's second Connecticut location after an earlier shop on Church Street in New Haven, part of a national network that now spans more than 25 locations across 12 states.
For now, the soft opening has already drawn curious neighbors. Genesis Cruz, who works across the street from the cafe, stopped in for a piña colada smoothie and said the cafe has a nice atmosphere. With his children pitching in behind the scenes, Algabyali is aiming for that bigger October celebration to introduce the rest of Newington to the business he built after stepping away from dentistry.
