Le Okay Juice Shop Closes

NEWBERG, Ore.—Le Okay Juice Shop, located at 510 E. 1st St. in Newberg, announced its closure last week, just over a year after opening.

“We were never doing this to get rich,” said co-owner Tylor Wolter. “We just wanted to make something cool and fun for Newberg. But when the business isn’t covering rent and employee costs, it becomes less feasible.”

Le Okay Juice Shop opened on Dec. 16, 2023, after months of mystery surrounding the former Teeter Totter candy shop. Owners Beki and Jacob Vigil and Tylor and Bria Wolter aimed to bring a French-inspired juice café featuring fresh-pressed juices, alongside drip coffee, croissants, and other snacks.

The business idea originated from a shared frustration among the friends: they felt there were no local businesses offering healthy snacks.

“It used to be part of our rhythm to grab a juice or a smoothie, and it drove me nuts that I had to drive half an hour to get a decent healthy snack,” said co-owner Beki Vigil during an interview with Newsberg published Dec. 19, 2023. “We figured we should stop complaining and do something about it, and we’ve always had the entrepreneur itch.”

Read: Le Okay Juice Shop Opens in Newberg

Wolter said the four owners, three of whom are working full-time jobs, saw the impending slow winter season and a lease renewal approaching. They decided the experiment had run its course.

“We kept looking forward to better sales numbers and hoping things would eventually pick up,” said Beki Vigil, “but even with extra marketing endeavors and local events, we simply did not have daily customers to sustain a fiscally healthy business.”

Beki, who recently welcomed her third child with husband Jacob, said the decision was in part to accommodate the growing families in the ownership group.

“We are very sad to see it go, but we’re looking forward to more free time,” she said.

During the final closing days after Le Okay announced their closure on Instagram, Beki said the shop experienced some of their busier days since opening.

“If every week was half of what our last week was, we’d still be in business,” she said. “C’est la vie!”

The building is split between Le Okay and Saints’ Hill Church—the storefront occupied by the juice shop and back half of the building occupied by the church’s offices. Beki said there’s a chance that Saints’ Hill moves its offices to the storefront, but the plans aren’t confirmed as of yet.

“It’s bittersweet,” said Phillip Villegas, organizer of the Camellia City Athletic Club, whose run club met outside the juice shop most Saturday mornings. “As a friend, I’m proud of them for having the initiative and courage to open a business. I’m confident in their decisions, but as a customer, I’ll miss Le Okay—just as I’m sure many others in Newberg will.”

The Instagram post announcing the shop’s closure, shared on Friday, Dec. 19, hinted at a new direction for the business. Beki said they’re not closing the doors on Le Okay completely, and it could come back in the form of online sales and events.

“We wanted [Le Okay] to be a gift to Newberg and although it was short lived, we think it brought some joy to downtown Newberg,” Beki said. “We hope you support the businesses you love to keep them going strong.”

Editor’s Note: This story was updated Tuesday, December 24 at 8:00 a.m. to reflect an interview with Beki Vigil.