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When Yasir Almafrachi moved to Syracuse 10 years ago, he found the city lacking healthy eating options. He worked at his friend’s smoothie shop growing up in Iraq, so he figured a juice bar could fill a gap in the community.
“It’s in the name: Passion. The city needs something refreshing and I’m here to provide it,” said Almafrachi.
This year, Almafrachi opened Passion Fruit, letting the people of Syracuse taste his passion and healthy cooking. Almafrachi said the store is located on Nottingham Road and offers a variety of juices, coffees, smoothies, bubble he juices, and baked goods, bringing the flavor of Iraq to central New York.
Almafraki decided to incorporate his lifelong love of fruits and natural ingredients into his career, wanting to take a preventive approach to health and focus on what people put into their bodies. .
Since arriving in Syracuse, Almafrachi has noticed that many places offer two options, healthy or unhealthy options. There is no gray area in between. As such, his store’s goal, he said, is to offer smoothies and juices as an alternative to dining options in the area.
“When we first opened, everyone next door to Domino’s Pizza was coming to try our smoothies because other places around here said they were unhealthy and greasy,” he said. I was.
Almafrachi said the items he’s most proud of are the smoothies and crepes that customers can fully customize to their tastes.
Mike La Sala, a Syracuse resident who used to live in the Bay Area of California, said New York seemed like a completely different country because of the differences in restaurants in the two states. He said passion fruit brought that element of originality to Syracuse.
“There’s always Jamba Juice and Smoothie King, but it’s really nice to see something more local and less commercial,” La Sala said.
Almafrachi allows customers to fully customize all products, including crepes. Crepes are his personal favorite. Many people in Syracuse don’t know what a crepe is.
Passionfruit regular Larry Stern said the store’s “personal touch” sets it apart from the rest. He enjoys the atmosphere and convenient location for Syracuse residents along the Road to Nottingham. Stern encourages everyone to try his personal favorite, the crepe.
“Seeing[Stern]enjoy my products, especially the orange juice recipe I brought with me from Iraq, brightens my day every time he comes over,” Almafraki said. .
Since the store is located in a shopping center full of chain stores, Almafrachi decided the store needed to be visually appealing and stand out. Decorated with bright yellow furniture and lawn walls with neon signs, it’s more trendy and social than its neighbors.
“Decorating the store was like trying to turn a dream into a reality,” says Almafrachi. “It’s challenging and we’re not done yet. But the blood, sweat and tears have paid off.”
Another Passion Fruit customer, Daniel Skripa, stopped by because he “liked the vibe of the place.” The place where you can customize is also attractive, and it seems that it was the first time to visit the store, but it seems that it was a good impression.
Almafrachi hopes the store will have a positive impact on community nutrition and hopes to expand in the future. He plans to purchase his second location in Syracuse next year and open Passion His Fruit shops in neighboring cities and states.
“Everything has really changed for the better,” said Almafrachi. “I chose to take a risk on myself and pursue my passion.”
Published November 2, 2022 at 10:44 PM
