Acai adventure continues at Lockport Energy House

Checking in with Lockport Energy House a month after introducing acai bowls to menu

By Hannah Eisenhauer

Special to Niagara Frontier Publications

At the beginning of last month, popular energy drink spot Lockport Energy House launched a line of health-conscious acai bowls to its menu.

The Lockport Energy House’s owner, Drew Boudeman, is pleased to announce the new menu item has been a hit with customers.

“We’ve had a pretty good turnout – a lot of people,” Boudeman said. “In the first month, we sold about 45 to 50 bowls. I was surprised!”

Previously just a drink-based shop, the inclusion of the acai bowls has allowed customers to enjoy a quick snack at the establishment. As both a health and choice-focused establishment, Lockport Energy House’s addition of yet another option to choose from has been met with enthusiasm from patrons.

“I think it’s great having a variety of options, having not just acai bowls but shakes and energy bombs, too,” said Sara Walck, a frequent customer of Lockport Energy House.

The frozen treats, which are customizable with a variety of topping options, are priced at $11 per bowl. The bowls are sold in a round, plastic container, making it easy for customers to eat them on the go.

According to Boudeman, so far the most popular topping choices among customers have been strawberries, bananas and granola.

“We’ve gotten a lot of special requests for certain things, so it’s been fun hearing what people want,” Boudeman said. “It’s been cool to see how creative people have been.”

“I would love to see more toppings – more tropical fruits like mangoes, pineapple, papaya and avocado,” said Trevor Caubang, a regular at Lockport Energy House.

Boudeman has heard the customer calls for more toppings, and is open to offering a number of the suggestions in the future. However, calls for certain topping options have left Boudeman reluctant to officially add these suggestions to the menu, as he does not want to sacrifice Lockport Energy House’s commitment to providing health-conscious and well-balanced ingredients to its customers.

According to Boudeman, there have been requests for various kinds of cereal to be included as toppings, as well as desserts like crushed-up cookies. Though he loves the feedback he’s gotten from customers, he does not see these requests making it onto the menu any time soon.

Following its Halloween-themed “Spooky Bowl,” the business is hoping to soon release another seasonal bowl for the winter holidays.

“We do plan on making a few different style changes for the holidays, something more themed around that,” Boudeman said.

Though the exact ingredients for this bowl have yet to be determined, customers have already started speculating and expressing their desires for the toppings they hope to see included.

“A peppermint chip, something with gingerbread, molasses, or eggnog would be good,” Walck said.

Based on the positive feedback and support from customers, it appears that Lockport Energy House’s acai bowls are here to stay.

Lockport Energy House is located at 5714 S. Transit Road. It is open weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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This is a Niagara University student-created piece completed as part of the course CMS 226A. For more information, contact the Niagara Frontier Publications’ managing editor.