1851

Brian Griffith and Kim Rouse are an engaged couple preparing to introduce Mokena, Illinois, to Smoothie King, after successful careers in the&nbsp;pharmaceutical industry and in patent law, respectively. After years living elsewhere, from the nation&#39;s capitol to the suburbs of Los Angeles, Griffith returned home to the Chicagoland area and Rouse decided to meet him there.&nbsp;

Coming from a background working in pharmaceuticals, paired with an passion for health and fitness, Griffith was interested in opening his own business with an emphasis on nutrition. Rouse was actually the one who introduced the Smoothie King idea to her fianc&eacute;, having been a long-time fan of the product. Both Griffith and Rouse thought the entire area would love the smoothies as much as they do, and are committed to opening two more sites, once they get their Mokena&nbsp;store up and running later this summer.

What were you doing before partnering with Smoothie King?

Kim: I&rsquo;m originally from New York and moved to Illinois about three months ago from the Washington D.C. area, where I worked as an IT specialist with a law firm. The majority of my career has been spent in legal. For the past 15 years, I&rsquo;ve worked with patents. I moved to Mokena&nbsp;to be with my fianc&eacute;, Brian, and when looking into new opportunities that we might be able to pursue together, I remembered Smoothie King from my time in Maryland. Their smoothies were always a part of my morning routine and thought it might fit well in the Mokena market. We researched the brand further and, thankfully, Brian liked the concept as much as I did.

Brian: I&rsquo;m originally from Chicago but lived in California for about 20 years in the San Fernando Valley. Living there really exposed me to a healthier lifestyle. My dad worked in the music industry and my mom was a teacher, so the two of them constantly encouraged my siblings and I to focus on proper nutrition &ndash; it brought me back to my roots. Coming back to Chicago, I worked in the pharmaceutical industry where I was a manager for 18 years. The company was restructuring and I thought this was the opportune time to pursue a new career in a different segment.

How did you learn about Smoothie King, and what made you ultimately decide to commit?

Brian: Before Kim and I were engaged, she was always talking about Smoothie King smoothies &ndash; I remember her stopping to grab a smoothie while the two of us together were working to get back in shape. When we started looking at franchising opportunities, Smoothie King was one of the first concepts we researched because the brand really resonated with us.

We compared and contrasted a few other franchise opportunities, GNC and Subway, but reading about Smoothie King, we were blown away. Meeting the corporate team and our realty manager pushed us over the edge, they&rsquo;re like a big family who sincerely care&nbsp;about their franchisees and we believe this will be a long and successful relationship.

Why is Mokena the perfect market for your Smoothie King business?

Brian: When I was in the pharmaceutical industry, I needed to live somewhere that was near an interstate due to a heavy travel schedule. I heard great things about the Mokena community because it started as a small farm town. There are great schools and churches which is similar to the area I grew up in. I wanted to live in a close-knit community that was close to Chicago and thought this franchise opportunity would give us a chance to make a meaningful impact.

What&rsquo;s next for you and your business? Do you have any development/expansion plans?

Brian: We signed for three locations and our territory includes Tinley Park, which is one of the fastest growing suburbs in Illinois &ndash; our first store will be able a mile away from Tinley, Orland Park and Frankfort, strategically located right off of U.S. 45. There&rsquo;s a high concentration of gyms in the area, pretty ideal for our target demographic.

The main reason we&rsquo;re doing this is for our kids. Kim has a 19-year-old daughter&nbsp;who currently attends Winston-Salem State University. I have two girls, one&#39;s a senior at Roosevelt University, and my other is an 8-year-old who goes to school in Mokena. When I told our girls, they were very excited about the opportunity. All three of them would like to be a part of the business in some capacity.

I am very involved with the school and would like to become even more involved once the location is up and running. There is a need for uniforms and band material so any way we can contribute, Kim and I will be there to help fill the gap so children growing up in these communities will be able to have the fun that we had when we were kids.

&nbsp;

Franchisee Spotlight: Brian Griffith and Kim Rouse of Smoothie King

1851 Franchise

To finally pursue opening a business together, Brian Griffith and Kim Rouse are working to grow the Smoothie King name in the Chicagoland area later this summer.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

franchisee-spotlight-brian-griffith-and-kim-rouse-of-smoothie-king

Paris Baguette

Photo of array of Paris Baguette pastries

Paris Baguette Redefines Morning Routines With Fresh Breakfast and Premium Coffee Strategy

paris-baguette-breakfast-strategy-growth

TruBlue Home Service Ally

TruBlue’s Home Maintenance Plans: Peace of Mind for Homeowners

trublues-home-maintenance-plans-peace-of-mind-for-homeowners

Caring Transitions

Caring Transitions Targets Peoria, Illinois, for Franchise Growth

caring-transitions-targets-peoria-illinois-for-franchise-growth

Caring Transitions Celebrates a Strong Start to 2025 With 19 New Franchise Sales and Momentum-Building Training Events

caring-transitions-celebrates-a-strong-start-to-2025-with-19-new-franchise-sales-and-momentum-building-training-events

Right at Home

Right at Home 30th Anniversary in Home Care with Right at Home Logo

Celebrating 30 Years of Excellence and Future Innovations in Home Care

celebrating-30-years-of-excellence-and-future-innovations-in-home-care

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands - 1851 Franchise

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands

doordash-acquistions-deliveroo-sevenrooms

Crumbl Franchise Investment - TSG Consumer Partners -  1851 Franchise

TSG Consumer Partners Takes Minority Stake in Crumbl, Signaling Franchise Growth Potential

crumbl-franchise-investment-tsg-consumer

Yum Brands Reports Strong Q1 Results with Big Boost from Taco Bell

yum-brands-reports-strong-q1-results-with-big-boost-from-taco-bell

QSR: McDonald’s Gains Momentum With Chicken Innovation, Value Deals and Franchisee Support

mcdonalds-franchise-recovery-chicken-strategy-value-deals-2025

The Future of Franchising: Trends and Predictions for 2025 and Beyond

the-future-of-franchising-trends-and-predictions-for-2025-and-beyond

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: Building Your Brand’s Growth Machine

ultimate-guide-to-selling-franchises

franchise supplier award design with Locate AI logo and 1851 Franchise badge

Franchise Real Estate Services | Locate AI — Emerging Leaders in Franchise Support

locate-ai-emerging-leaders-in-franchise-support

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How to Position Your Value Proposition

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How to Position Your Value Proposition — Point of Differentiation

how-to-position-your-value-proposition-with-a-point-of-differentiation

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How to Clarify Your Positioning – The “Why You/Why Now”

the-ultimate-guide-to-selling-franchises-how-to-clarify-your-positioning-the-why-youwhy-now

Franchisee spotlight image with Randy and Sandy Craft, Children's Lighthouse logo on blue background

The Crafts’ Successful Journey from New Parents to Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees

the-crafts-successful-journey-from-new-parents-to-childrens-lighthouse-franchisees

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Amy Lepke and family and Papa Murphy's logo

After 14 Years as a Stay-At-Home Mom, Amy Lepke Returned to Papa Murphy’s — This Time as an Owner

papa-murphys-franchise-amy-lepke

Franchisee Spotlight with Micki Waters and Papa Murphy's Logo

Work Mom: How Micki Waters Became a Mother Figure to Her Entire Papa Murphy’s Team

work-mom-how-micki-waters-became-a-mother-figure-to-her-entire-papa-murphys-team

District Taco Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-district-tacos-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Layoffs Surge to Pandemic-Era Highs, Opening Doors for Franchise Growth

layoffs-surge-to-pandemic-era-highs-opening-doors-for-franchise-growth

Franchisee spotlight image with photo of Robert Trujillo and UWRG logo on blue background

How Robert Trujillo Expanded His Construction Business With UWRG

how-robert-trujillo-expanded-his-construction-business-with-uwrg

Franchisee Spotlight: Brian Griffith and Kim Rouse of Smoothie King

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS