The new year usually starts the same: Motivation is at its highest; gym fees are at their lowest. People get antsy and start looking for new opportunities, new ways of doing things, new foods and drinks to try. Those who work Downtown won’t have too far to look for that.
At the corner of St. Joseph and St. Anthony streets sits MobTown Nutrition. Though they only opened their doors in September 2021, the building has been around since 1956, wearing different bank names through the decades. Those working in the Port City’s concrete jungle will find the well-situated loaded tea, coffee and shake place a welcome respite during a midmorning walk or lunchtime stroll. Even those rolling by for a pre- or post-work refresher will find the store’s ample parking and drive-thru option a real Downtown-score.
So, what is a loaded tea? Simply put, it’s a cocktail of supplements — 21 vitamins, aloe, caffeine and flavored mixers — often touted for curbing appetite, increasing metabolism and amplifying mental clarity.
“A lot of people say it’s a good alternative to coffee,” associate Anna Girardeau says while mixing up a customer’s order, a low-calorie “Happy Camper” tea. The patron takes a long swig of her tropical-looking drink and says, “It curbs my appetite and gives me an extra oomph,” then heads back to the RSA Tower.
All of the rainbow-colored sugar-free teas start with a green, black and oolong powder base. Also offered are beauty teas, with collagen and biotin boosters, and specialty teas that include protein. Coffees, served hot or iced, are considered a meal replacement, as are the protein-packed shakes. And everything is customizable, with a plethora of add-on supplements or toppings.
Most often, these drink spots are owned by Herbalife-affiliated distributors, and MobTown Nutrition is no different. But what sets this family-owned storefront apart is its prime location, cozy, soft-lit lounge, and friendliness of staff, each eager to walk a newbie through the ordering process.
Of their loyal customers, manager Lana Barnett says, “When they walk in the door, I already know what they want.” For those not sure about coming in, Barnett says, “The only thing to be leery of is, once you try it, you’re going to crave them.”
Fruity PEBBLES 
On the Menu
Happy Camper
This loaded tea is year-round summer in a cup. Green tea powder is zhuzhed up with orange, pineapple and strawberry flavors and accentuated with wildberry aloe vera.
Purple Sweetart
Grape flavor reigns supreme in this loaded tea. Make-you-pucker lemonade mix and a blend of tropical fruit make this must-try pick-me-up both sweet and tart.
Emerald Isle
Allow the Caribbean-inspired flavors of this beauty tea to carry you away. Peach, mango and pina colada get a delightful punch from the added blue sweetart mix.
Fruity PEBBLES
This meal-replacement shake, made with vanilla protein and wildberry flavor, is topped with sugar-free whipped cream, sugar-free blueberry syrup and Fruity PEBBLES cereal.
MobTown Nutrition • 200 Saint Joseph St. • Facebook
6:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. M – F; 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sa. closed Sundays
