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By A.J. O'CONNELL

Villager Staff Writer


NORWALK -- Joe DelGiudice is a native Norwalker, but he has a talent for bringing the tropics to his hometown. Fifteen years ago, DelGiudice opened Sunsations Tanning in Norwalk, a business he expanded to Westport. On Saturday, he will open the doors of Cabana Joe's, a smoothie shop that will serve drinks made from bananas, berries, and other fruit.

Asked why he chose Halloween for the grand opening, DelGiudice smiled.

"I just figured it would be a nice little healthy alternative to sugary sweets," he said.

DelGiudice has wanted to open a smoothie shop for a while. Originally he envisioned the drinks as part of the Sunsations chain, but Cabana Joe's took on a life of its own.

"This is a restaurant kind of thing," said DelGiudice.

The menu has expanded past smoothies to include frappes, frozen yogurt, gourmet coffee, Belgian waffles and stuffed pretzels. DelGiudice says the menu reflects his commitment to providing fast, healthy food to the people of Norwalk.

"Everything's all natural," said DelGiudice. "Even the pretzels."

Cabana Joe's will also be selling breakfast and lunch smoothies, which will be mixed with protein, fresh-squeezed fruit and vegetable juice and shots of wheat grass. Vitamin supplements will also be available for any customer who wants some extra nutrients in their drink.

"There's nothing in the area," said Mary Tirado, of Norwalk, who will manage the flagship store at 454 Main Ave. Tirado, who works for Sunsations, is excited to come over to Cabana Joe's. She thinks the store will do well; although Cabana Joe's will be competing with both the Robeks stores in neighboring towns and the juice counter in Whole Foods, Cabana Joe's is serving an area of town with no juice shops.

Tirado added that some of the breakfast and lunch smoothies can be consumed in lieu of solid food.

DelGiudice and Tirado created the menu themselves.

"We have a line of tropical smoothies," said DelGiudice. His favorite, he added is the Banana Cabana.

Tirado loves the Four-Berry smoothie, which is part of the Very Berry line.

Although the store doesn't officially open until Saturday, Tirado and DelGiudice have been trying to grab the attention of consumers by handing out samples of their products.

Tirado says the reaction to the handouts has been excellent.

"Wow is usually the first word that comes out," she said. "Anything we handed out they liked."

Cabana Joe's will be open seven days, from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. The grand opening is Saturday, Oct. 31, and a portion of the profits on Halloween will be donated to the Alzheimer's Foundation.

"I think it's important to (combine) nutrition with quickness in today's busy life," said DelGiudice, "This is healthy and it's fast."

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