Freetown woman opens new shake and tea shop in her hometown

Andreia Arruda didn’t plan on being a small business owner, and she certainly didn’t expect to be launching her business in the midst of a pandemic.

But none of that stopped the Freetown resident from opening up Crossroads Nutrition in her hometown earlier this month.

“I wanted to be my own boss and help the community get healthier and see my kids grow up,” said Arruda, who grew up in Dartmouth. “I was looking around and I was like ‘I could picture myself doing this.’”

“This” is an Herbalife-based shake, tea and coffee shop nestled in between Crossroads Liquors and Kara’s Dance Center in what used to be a karate studio.

The idea took root a few years ago. Arruda, who has a 5-year-old daughter Amelia and a 2-month old daughter Audrina, had been a stay-at-home mom for about four years. One day, she met a young woman who was drinking an appealing shake.

Arruda asked where she got it and soon found herself visiting Vybe Nutrition and Fitness in Westport to pick up one of her own. Soon after, she found 525 Nutrition in Tiverton and owner Farrah Mello.

“The atmosphere was like Cheers, the show,” Arruda said. “It was family-oriented. Single moms went there. Single men went there. You meet different people. It’s fun because you meet friends and they become like family.”

She soon began working as a "shakearista” behind the counter at 525 Nutrition. Then, last year, she decided to jump in feet-first and open up her own store.

“I started liking it a lot, to the point where I told my fiancé, ‘Listen, I really like this, how do you feel about opening up our own shake place?’” she said. “He was like ‘Do you think you could run it?’ I had the knowledge and education. … It’s a leap, but you either take it or you don’t. It was either now or never.”

They found the East Freetown location and leased it last October. Almost immediately they began renovations with the hopes of opening in March. Then Arruda’s now-husband, Andre DeSousa, fell off a roof and was out of commission. More construction delays followed because of COVID-19. Finally, on Sept. 12, Crossroads Nutrition opened its doors to the public.

“We got very, very lucky to find this place,” Arruda said. “I’m so happy to see what it’s going to look like. So far, so good.”

Crossroads Nutrition’s main offerings are teas and meal replacement shakes, but they also offer iced coffee with 12 grams of protein and only 100 calories. A shake and tea combo costs $11 and includes your choice of eight tea flavors mixed with four flavors of aloe. There are more than two dozen flavors of shakes, which are water and ice based, and so far the most popular have been Reese Peanut Butter Cup, Salted Caramel Brownie Brittle, Coconut Calypso and Caramel Oreo Chino. Despite the candy-bar sounding names, each shake contains less than 250 calories yet packs in 29 grams of protein and just 11 grams of sugar. Arruda has also created a unique flavor blend for the East Freetown police station that she will soon offer to the public.

For an extra $4 customers can upgrade to a Boosted LiftOff tea, which adds energy and B vitamins and comes in flavors like Miami Vice, Captain America, Wonder Woman and Blue Mermaid.

All the shakes are made to order, and for now customers can either order at the counter or call ahead at (774) 849-5134. When COVID-19 restrictions are lessened, Arruda is looking forward to putting tables in the dining area and stools along their long bar to create a more communal atmosphere. She also plans to add pop-up fitness classes.

"This will be family oriented,” she said of her future plans. “You can bring your kids. Whether you’re a working mom or a teacher, we love them. It’s amazing. I really like the people that you meet and you’re making people healthy. Everybody has a journey and everybody has a story. If it wasn’t for me going and taking that first step of going to a nutrition place I would never be here.”

Business hours are still in flux as Arruda determines when she will be busiest. She talked about being available to people on their way to and from work or the gym, or for high school and college students.

“When you have a long day at work and you don’t want to make dinner, grab a shake to go. If you’re going to the gym you can pick up a Rebuild,” she said. “We’re from around here and we’re family oriented and we want to support our community.”