CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 3, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To celebrate the grand opening of Charlotte's first Tropical Smoothie Café, franchise owner and former Carolina Panther Everette Brown will host a kid's field day and autograph signing event with current and former NFL players on Saturday, Feb. 8. The activities will take place at Tropical Smoothie Café, located at 1111 Metropolitan Ave, Suite 110, inside the Metropolitan Center.
To kick off the festivities, a kid's field day event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon at Charlotte's Midtown Park, located adjacent to the Metropolitan Center. Children are invited to join current and former NFL players in the fun-filled event, which will include carnival games, traditional field day competitions, inflatable bouncy houses and smoothie samplings. Tropical Smoothie Café will award 10 people with free smoothies for a year throughout the event.
Following the field day activities, guests of all ages will have the chance to attend an autograph signing event at Tropical Smoothie Café from noon to 2:00 p.m. where they can meet current and former NFL players who support healthy eating. Thirteen players, many of whom played for the Panthers, will be on site meeting fans and signing autographs including: John Beason, Thomas Davis, Graham Gano, Charles Johnson, Sherrod Martin, Captain Munnerlyn, Travelle Wharton and many others.
Tropical Smoothie Café will offer the following promotions leading up to the grand opening event, including $1.99 smoothies on Monday; $0.99 flatbreads on Tuesday; buy-one-get-one 50 percent off any food item or smoothie on Wednesday; $0.99 smoothie with the purchase of a sandwich, wrap or salad on Thursday; and buy-one-get-one free Coconut Curry Chicken Wrap or Coconut Lime Chicken Salad on Friday.
Brown, who currently plays as defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys, opened the Tropical Smoothie Café in November. The North Carolina native was introduced to the brand while playing football at Florida State University and quickly became a regular customer because the better-for-you food, which includes fresh food and smoothies made with real fruits and vegetables, supported his athletic lifestyle.
In addition to enjoying the food, Brown decided to open the Tropical Smoothie Café franchise because it supports his off-field passions. He launched and oversees The Brown Bag Foundation, a charity focused on reducing childhood obesity by educating children and their families about the importance of exercising and eating healthy.
"In my heart, Charlotte is my home town and I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to serve the active community here with nutritious food and smoothies," said Brown. "My NFL buddies and I are here to not only celebrate the opening of my Tropical Smoothie Café, but also to raise awareness of the importance of eating healthy and exercising among children."
Tropical Smoothie Café is currently seeking local franchise partners to develop up to 15 locations throughout the greater Charlotte area. Tropical Smoothie Café decided to focus on Charlotte as a key growth market in response to increasing local demand for healthier food options as well as the strong performance of nearby locations in South Carolina.
For locations and general information, visit www.tropicalsmoothiecafe.com.
About Tropical Smoothie Café
Founded in 1999, Tropical Smoothie Café is a fast-casual restaurant concept whose franchise partners inspire healthy lifestyles in communities across the country. Catering to all day-parts, Tropical Smoothie Café serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, including smoothies, salads, wraps, sandwiches, flatbreads and more. The fast-growing franchise has 360 locations nationwide and has won numerous awards including: Entrepreneur 2014 Franchise 500; Nation's Restaurant News 2013 Top 200 (Ranked No. 1 U.S. system-wide sales); USA Today 2013 Top Franchise for Military Veterans and Minorities. Tropical Smoothie Café is currently awarding franchises throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.TropicalSmoothieFranchise.com.