MOUNT VERNON — A freshly squeezed quick meal business is coming to Mount Vernon in September.
Pulp, founded in Kent, Ohio, by Thom Knepp, is almost ready to open its new franchise, owned by Amanda Benins.
Aside from graduating from Kent State in 2009 with a bachelor of science degree in dietetics and nutrition, Benins has lived in Knox County her whole life.
Benins was first introduced to the idea of Pulp when founder Thom Knepp came into a restaurant she was working at in college.
“My freshman year, the founder of Pulp came into the restaurant where I worked and started talking about his vision,” Benins said. “I remember thinking how amazing it sounded and hoped that he would be able to pull it off.”
Just one year later, the first Pulp opened close to Kent State’s campus, and Benins became a regular customer.
“I loved that everything was fresh, that you could add protein, and how friendly everyone always was there,” Benins said.
Locals will soon be able to enjoy Pulp’s freshness too, with a Peach Beach smoothie or a brand new concoction like the Spirulina Spiral. Check out the whole menu here.
Opening her own store
Benins decided to take on the project of owning her franchise after she saw new locations frequently popping up around Ohio and stopping in them in her travels.
“We have family in northern Ohio and drive through Ashland on our way to visit, so [we] always make a point to stop at their location,” Benins said. “Everywhere we go, we are always on the lookout for a Pulp to stop at for ‘fast food’ in place of other options.”
In May 2024, with her husband deployed in the U.S. Navy, Benins was sitting in North Main Cafe researching how to become a Pulp franchisee.
“Turns out they have a ton of information on their website, so I forwarded everything to my husband, who gave the go-ahead, Benins said. “On May 10, I received an email back from corporate to set up an interview.”
Even though her husband was still far from home, Benins was able to stay in communication with her husband and shared an energetic text chain between the two.
“When I let my husband know, he replied with, ‘Yes ma’am, buckle up! I believe in you,'” Benins read.
Picking a location and doing the demo themselves
When deciding on a location, Benins noted how a lot of fast food restaurants in the area all serve similar items, but all do well. She wanted the same to be true for her business and the other local smoothie makers.
“I love Green Vibes and Tropical Frappe and will continue to support them, Benins said.
“We chose our location based off of the specifications that Pulp provides, but also very much with the intent to stay away from the downtown area in support of these other incredible businesses.”
Benin’s store is located at 1558 Coshocton Ave., in the same plaza as Planet Fitness.
When Benin’s husband returned from deployment in March, the couple tackled the long list of renovations themselves.
“We’ve been together for 24 years this November and have worked together several times; it’s always a blast. He handled the ceiling, HVAC, and all the heavy lifting while I tore out walls and ripped up carpet — so much carpet,” Benins said.
“Whoever installed that carpet meant for it to withstand the end of the earth, and I bet it would have. I can’t say we’ll volunteer to demo a store ever again, but we learned a lot and laughed even more.”
Through all the ups and downs, Benins said she has appreciated every step of the process because she’s done it with her family.
“This whole thing has been a family adventure, with both kids gloving up to help toss drywall into the dumpster and many evenings spent with the four of us there, hustling to get it done,” Benins said.
“We treat life like an adventure, and do our best to make everything as fun as possible, even demo.”
Help from corporate and a community vision
From helping with proper permits to bringing her husband a blast from the past, Benins said Pulp corporate has had her back the whole way.
“My family and I have had a tremendous amount of support from the entire Pulp team, and becoming part of the Pulp family has truly been incredible,” Benins said.
“The founder, Thom, and VP, Bill, even remembered a conversation they had with my husband shortly after he returned from overseas about where he had worked in college, the Rathskeller. They had visited the university, found a Rathskeller shirt, and got it for him. Who does that?”
Through all the ups, downs and delays, Benins has remained focused on her goal for the community.
“The heart behind opening this store is to add value to our community by increasing fast and healthy food options as well as by providing an employee forward and fun work environment,” Benins said.
“Life is too short to not have fun, even if you are at work. I think that’s one of the things I’m most looking forward to, making the experience fun and rewarding for everyone who steps through our doors, be they customers or employees.”
Once the dust settles, Mount Vernon’s Pulp is set to fire up its blenders in early September.
The Knox County Chamber of Commerce is also set to host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the store on Sept. 17.
Photos courtesy of Amanda Benins
