Greenville, South Carolina – Camila Franco knew she wanted to have something like Uki Bowlz, her upcoming açaí and coffee shop, but she did not expect it to happen in her 20s. She worked at a smoothie bar in college while studying exercise science. Upon graduation, she went to work in a finance firm. In July 2023, she was unexpectedly let go. Franco knew she could get a job elsewhere. But she didn’t want to be stuck doing something she didn’t truly want to do.
By August, she was still holding the dream of a smoothie shop in her heart but didn’t know where to begin. Rather than find another job that might leave her unfulfilled, she enrolled in a ten-week course on building a business plan instead. There, she formulated the mission, values and overview, and identified the target market for what would become Uki Bowlz.
“Sometimes I think, ‘Should I share that story? Should I not? But it really is my story. I got fired, and it pushed me to open my shop,” Franco said.
She began browsing for shops with the intention of opening later but found the perfect shop in October 2023 at 3 E. Park Ave., across from McPherson Park in Greenville. Although this kicked her plan into high gear, it felt like perfect timing. She completed the course in November with her business already underway.
The shop’s mural symbolizes the shop’s connection to South America. The coordinates are to Franco’s grandmother’s house; the mural was painted by her cousin, Alejandra Rodriguez.
A gap Franco recognized in smoothie and juice shops was the inability to order a latte or drip coffee. Still, adding coffee was more than addressing a gap for Franco. It was a way to connect her business to her roots. Franco is originally from Medellín, Colombia, one of the top-producing coffee nations in the world.
“Coffee-wise, you know, it’s my roots. We kind of grew up around coffee without really knowing it,” she said.
Franco loves coffee. Still, in contrast to smoothie bowls, she didn’t know much about it. She began surrounding herself with coffee — reaching out to local coffee shops and farmers and attending cupping events where attendees can sample different beans. Ultimately, she decided to feature mostly Colombian coffee from Unlocked Coffee Roasters in the shop to honor her background and açaí’s roots in Brazil. Açaí comes from the berry of the açaí palm, which is found in the Amazon Rain Forest. The union was innovative and a way for her to bring a little bit of South America to the Upstate.
Franco completed a lot of the interior design herself, including the staining of the bar. The bowls will have four bases for patrons to choose from: Brazilian açaí, mango, coconut or pitaya. Granola will be gluten-free and made in-house, as will be syrups for lattes.
A significant focus for Franco was ensuring complete transparency in the food she served. Although her supplier offers a premade base for açaí, she opted for the unsweetened, raw option to negate additives and minimize sugar content.
“The idea of this shop is really clean, healthy — no hidden ingredients. That’s really what I want to bring to the community,” she said. “We’re going to make everything in-house.”
The eatery will have a retail element, selling coffee, granola and merchandise. Loose-leaf teas from Methodical Coffee will also be available. The shop will have an outside area which is expected to open in the summer.
Uki Bowlz is slated to open in March, and will be open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
