What’s in Store

A popular acai bowl shop plans to open 2 more stores in the Charlotte area

Rico’s Acai in Plaza Midwood has a pickup window where you can get a contact-free snack.
Rico’s Acai (Plaza Midwood location, shown) is expanding with two stores planned in Pineville and Cornelius. File photo

Rico’s Açaí is expanding in the Charlotte region with two store openings planned.

Rico’s will open in a 1,888-square-foot space, near OrthoCarolina, at the Terraces Medical Plaza in Pineville, commercial real estate firm MPV Properties said in a news release Thursday.

Other retailers at the plaza at 9101 Pineville-Matthews Road, off Interstate 485, include Sabor and Starbucks, according to MVP Properties’ website.

Acai bowls, originating in Brazil, are made with frozen acai palm fruit typically topped with such items as granola, fruits, coconut and syrups.

In May, Rico’s said on Instagram it plans to open another store in Cornelius this summer. The restaurant’s website shows Rico’s Acia listed on the Townie plaza sign at 20823 N. Main St. Other businesses there are New York Butcher Shoppe, Vana, Learn Music and Precise Alterations.

Efforts to reach officials with Rico’s Thursday were unsuccessful.

About Rico’s Acai

Brothers John and Matt Williams opened Rico’s Acai as a food truck in 2015 on South Tryon Street serving health-conscious bowls that include fruit and superfoods. Natives of Puerto Rico, the Williams brothers started Rico’s soon after graduating from Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte.

Rico’s Acai now has two locations at 917 Pecan Ave. in Plaza Midwood and 8446 Rea Road in Ballantyne. A food truck location is at 6 Airline St., Belmont, in Gaston County.

The menu includes five signature bowls plus toppings from coconut and honey to cookie butter and agave.

MVP Properties said Rico’s Acai will open in a 1,888-square-foot space, near OrthoCarolina, at the Terraces Medical Plaza in Pineville. Newport Academy, which helps children and families with mental health issues, will open in a 12,078-square-foot space at the plaza owned by Collett Capital
MVP Properties said Rico’s Acai will open in a 1,888-square-foot space, near OrthoCarolina, at the Terraces Medical Plaza in Pineville. Newport Academy, which helps children and families with mental health issues, will open in a 12,078-square-foot space at the plaza owned by Collett Capital MVP Properties

More about Terraces Medical Plaza

Terrace Medical Plaza, owned by Collett Capital since 2018, has another new tenant, MVP Properties said.

Newport Academy, which helps children and families with mental health issues, will open in a 12,078-square-foot space, adjacent to CoreLife Novant Health and OrthoCarolina.

KW Commercial represented the tenants.

This story was originally published July 21, 2022 at 3:22 PM.

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