A new protein shake bar is mixing fitness, nutrition and community education under one roof in Aurora
Fuel Court is opening inside Pickleplex Social Club Aurora, offering protein shakes, energizing teas, meal-replacement drinks, shake bowls, waffles and paninis aimed at people looking for healthier food options
Co-owners Anna Geva and Lilia Kitainik, both originally from Israel, say the concept goes beyond serving smoothies
“We’re not just another coffee shop or a smoothie shop,” Kitainik said. “We are built in a community of healthy people — people who, not necessarily already healthy, but want to learn how to switch to a healthier lifestyle.”
The bar will have a grand opening this Sunday, Aug. 16, after two weeks of testing menu items and handing out samples. It will operate seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m
The grand opening will feature $15 combo specials, with options including a strawberry cheesecake shake bowl with hot pomegranate energizing tea, a protein panini with a loaded tea, and a dulce banana waffle with hot brazilian paradise. A kids’ combo will include a dole whip shake and caffeine-free shark yank loaded tea
Customers purchasing a $15 combo on opening day will also receive complimentary pickleball from noon to 3 p.m
The businesses are separate, but Fuel Court operates inside Pickleplex, which opened this February
Geva said the goal is to provide people with convenient nutrition before or after a workout while helping them make healthier choices
“We came up with a menu that covers everybody’s likes, different flavours, different textures, different reasons,” she said. “We want to give them good value food and not go for sugary drinks.”
The menu can be customized with ingredients such as fibre, collagen, chia seeds, nuts and other nutritional additions. The owners also plan to introduce creatine and expand their wellness programming
For the duo, the business is rooted in personal experiences
A former ICU and community nurse, Kitainik said years of shift work and irregular eating contributed to her own health struggles. She eventually lost 28 pounds, or about 13 kilograms, in four months and later shifted from nursing into nutrition and wellness coaching
Geva said she dropped about 35 pounds, or 16 kilograms, through nutrition, accountability and consistency
“It doesn’t happen overnight, and we don’t want to promote it as a quick fix,” Geva said. “With persistence, with incredible support, you lose weight in the right way.”
The pair envision Fuel Court as a community hub where customers can learn about nutrition rather than simply grab a drink and leave
Kitainik said the bar will offer free body-composition assessments, educational programming and wellness challenges, with online support also available
“We’re providing a system of support, not just here, but also online,” she said. “People feel a lot of support on a regular daily basis.”
The owners hope to eventually build a model that can be replicated in other communities, potentially creating opportunities for others to operate similar wellness-focused locations
“Our Number 1 goal is to become very close to the community that we’re serving,” Geva said. “Once that is done and we can duplicate that, we can open it up in different locations.”
Fuel Court protein shake bar & beyond is located inside Pickleplex Social Club at 340 Addison Hall Circle, unit 2, in Aurora
