Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Boskovich.
Nick, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
After graduating from Arizona State University with a degree in Justice Studies, the plan was to attend law school in Chicago. While studying for the LSAT, I was back to working as a union ironworker, which is kind of the family business. I was making great money, questioning my pursuit of a legal career, and feeling unfulfilled. I then decided to pursue a career in commercial real estate, focusing on representing tenants in their downtown office leases. This was a fun career. I was single, making a good living and regularly traveling to visit friends in LA, AZ, and FL. Simultaneously, I had begun juicing at home daily. When I was traveling, I would seek out the best juice concept in town. My affinity for juicing continued to grow and I was intrigued by this brand new industry. Every concept and brand was unique, making their own rules, sharing the founder’s passion. This is when I began to consider the idea of bringing my style and passion for juice to Chicago. At the time, Chicago’s juice scene was fairly non-existent. There were a couple of places throwing produce though centrifugal juicers made-to-order, but nobody was providing high quality organic cold-pressed juices that were formulated with any sort of intent other than tasting good. I then quietly started working through the concept, and passively looking for the right location. I knew that I didn’t want to build a brand that was too granola or farmhouse-themed, as that wasn’t my style, nor the target customer. I also didn’t want to be a strict raw vegan brand, as that wasn’t me or the majority of consumers in this space. Inherently, about 90% of our menu is plant-based, but we are also nearly 100% paleo and cater to AIP, low sugar, and peak performance seekers as well as vegan-focused clientele. I knew that I needed to implement some sort of coffee product, but back then the typical juice offering was a cold-brew coffee, which was neither efficient or appealing to Chicagoans in the colder months. The Kinzie store was under construction, and I decided to take a trip to Orange County, CA for David Wolfe’s Longevity Conference. It was here that I first was exposed to Dave Asprey and his company, Bulletproof Coffee. I was not a coffee drinker, but was fascinated by his claims that many people’s negative reactions to coffee may be attributed to the mold and mycotoxins that are a result of a dirty process that, unlike Europe and other parts of the world, the U.S. fails to regulate. This makes the U.S. market ideal for all of the tainted coffee that’s been rejected by the rest of the world. So after returning home, I purchased a coffee brewer and some grass-fed Kerrygold butter to test out the Bulletproof Coffee and MCT Oil that they sent me to sample. I first was brewing and blending for friends and neighbors, to get their feedback. The feedback was shocking to me- not only did they love it, they were feeling more focused, energized, and satiated than ever. Given the feedback and my daunting to-do list, I decided to give it a try myself. I was hooked. I felt like, for the first time, I was able to truly focus and execute tasks to completion. Bulletproof was going to be the perfect complement to our science-driven organic juice program! Around this time, I met my wife, Victoria. Not only was she the most beautiful person (inside & out) that I had ever met, she was also an avid coffee drinker, healthy eater and seemed totally into to my juice junkie lifestyle and evolving business plan. Talk about a match made in green juice heaven! We married just 2 years later, and are now expecting our 1st child in just a couple of weeks (early September). So after the implementation of Bulletproof Coffee, grass-fed collagen & whey proteins, bone broth then hit the paleo health scene. We immediately decided that this, too, was a perfect fit for our concept. Fast-forward through a couple more years of getting our menu and operation dialed in, we now have 2 locations in River North (Merchandise Mart and 160 W Kinzie), and are negotiating new leases in 2 great Chicago neighborhoods that we’re excited to help Raise the Vibe!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Definitely not smooth. Challenging? Yes. Fun? Yes. Rewarding? Yes. We’ve faced challenges in nearly every aspect of the business and journey, including health department, building inspectors, bottles, labels, POS, App, equipment, staff, and of course competition. Competition is certainly the best challenge, as it forces you to dig deep, innovate and elevate your game. All challenges used to feel so catastrophic, but with each hurdle, you become more resilient. We pretty much feel like gladiators now.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with HI-VIBE – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We started off as an Organic Juice company. Now I’d categorize us as a Performance or Quality of Life company. We aim to help our clients to feel, look and perform at their very best. Everything that we produce and provide has been formulated to facilitate energy + productivity in the cleanest forms possible. 100% Organic, 100% of the time. We cater to Plant-based/Vegan, Paleo, Whole 30, AIP and Keto diets or philosophies. Our cleanse program is by far the most dynamic and comprehensive in the game. Our immunity-driven Kill Shot is our top-selling item, especially during cold/flu seasons. Our Acai bowls are really unique because we focus more on nutrient density than sweetness by using antioxidant-rich chaga tea, our homemade sprouted paleo granola, fresh organic berries and decadent sprouted nut butters to top it all off. They are a delicious treat that you can be proud of.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
2 new locations in 2019. Continued expansion in Chicagoland in 2020. New markets in 2021. We have a plan in place for constant growth and innovation. Adding value while constantly innovating is what drives us.
Pricing:
- $210/3 day cleanse | $350/5 day cleanse
- $6 for Bulletproof Coffee or Matcha
- $13.50 for Epic Acai Bowls
Contact Info:
- Address: 160 W Kinzie, Chicago, IL 60654
222 Merchandise Mart Plz Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60654 - Website: hi-vibe.com
- Phone: (312)724-8423
- Email: holler@hi-vibe.com
- Instagram: @hivibechi @nickbosko
- Facebook: facebook.com/HiVibeChicago
- Twitter: @hivibechi
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
