What: A community and health oriented juice shop just off of Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall.

Where: 946 Pearl Street, Boulder

When: Monday – Friday 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Pro: Juices & smoothies that taste great without any guilt.

Con: No snacks…yet.

Boulder, being the health-conscious city that it is, seems to be always looking for the next health trend. And nothing sounds more Boulder right now than all organic juices and smoothies. Wonder Press, which opened June 20 at 946 Pearl Street, is a breath of fresh air on the bustling street.

Previously, juicers had to go a bit farther out to get their fix, as Wonder started as a pop-up shop on 26th Street. Though co-founders Cecily Runge and Brooke Jordan both explain that they were thrilled to have a temporary space, there was less of a community feel because Jordan said it was “hard for people to find.” A permanent space was always the end goal.

“This space has opened us up to a lot more visibility. At the pop-up shop it was hard for people to find,” said Jordan. “It was kind of a weird location and it [attracted] people who were really determined to have juice.”

Pearl Street is more conducive to their secondary goal: creating a meaningful community space. This shouldn’t be hard since the three co-founders, Runge, Jordan, and Robyn Knowlan, are all Boulder natives who went to elementary school together. “That’s our main reason for being in Boulder, wanting to bring this to our community that we grew up with,” said Jordan.

The Space

Walking past Wonder, the exterior might make you pause. It doesn’t quite fit on Boulder’s busy Pearl Street. Only one block from the Pearl Street Mall, this place is an oasis amidst the crowd. It’s clean and peaceful; the interior looks like a loft that could be found on Tumblr.

Photo by Kyle Cooper

Wonder’s interior. All photography by Kyle Cooper.

The light pouring through the front windows illuminates the entire space, and the stark white exterior is balanced with an exposed brick wall and suspended orchid plants. Jordan said it was wonderful to see her partner, Cecily Runge, take charge of the design elements for their space.

One of the things that sets Wonder apart from so many cafes is the open space. Tables are not crammed together to fit as many seats as possible; the center of the room is wide open, adding to the space’s clean and free feeling. This, said Runge, is intentional and helps the space stay convertible. “A big part of our passion for doing this is community,” she said. “And that is supporting local artists and different events and hosting parties and gatherings here.”

They have already hosted a Friday gallery showing that tied multiple small businesses together on a walking art tour and regularly have pilates classes on Wednesdays. They also have plenty of private events in the works. Even if the juice trend fades away, Wonder seems to have taken hold as a community space

The Fare

With just under 10 made-to-order smoothies and more than 15 different types of juices on the menu, even juicing novices can find something they’ll enjoy. Runge and Jordan both recommend the Crave You, made with Hazelnut and cacao, which they say is like “drinkable Nutella.”

Photo by Kyle Cooper

A selection of Wonder’s products.

The juices are made fresh daily, and only have a shelf-life of one or two days. This, along with the 100% organic ingredients, is something that Wonder and its founders take pride in. The juices range in price, the majority of which are around $9.

“We press it all here, and as much as possible, we try to get our produce from local farms and local farmers,” said Jordan. “We do [use] some Growers Organic, one of our purveyors, and they allow us to have the larger quantities of organic [produce], which is a very crucial piece to us and a foundation of who we are.”

In addition to the advertised healthy drinks, Wonder also boasts its own homemade nut milks, to give customers alternatives to dairy. Runge and Jordan are careful to note that when they add food to the menu, they will not follow any specific diet or eliminate entire food groups.

“We don’t necessarily subscribe to any diet, per say, we’re very open to having eggs or meat products or potentially cheese product,” said Runge. “To us, the most important thing is making sure that things are really well sourced—like, extraordinarily well sourced.” Accordingly, Wonder hopes to feature organic and local products when possible.

Crave You, Good Juice, Emerald, and Ruby juices. Photo by Kyle Cooper.

Crave You, Good Juice, Emerald, and Ruby juices. Photo by Kyle Cooper.

The clean and inviting exterior may be what attracts you from across the street, and the juice options will keep you coming back. Don’t fret, Boulder caffeine addictsWonder has coffee as well. Sourced from Boxcar Coffee Roasters in Denver, the clean roast and variety of drink options will satisfy any caffeine craving.

After a Saturday night out on Pearl Street, Wonder is exactly the place to be. Coffee to wake you up and a juice for the detox you most likely need.