Laura Jankowski, a school social worker, and her husband, Walter, who worked in a car dealership and bartended part-time, were looking to start their own business and decided a franchise was the prudent way to go.
“We wanted it to be our own, but we wanted the support of a franchise that had proven to be successful,†Laura Jankowski said. Because of her husband’s background in the restaurant industry, they looked closely at food service. “We were looking to bring something unique to Long Island, that there was a need for,†she said.
In their extensive research, the couple discovered Tropical Smoothie Café, a 12-year-old franchise that now has about 280 locations. After dining in a restaurant while on vacation in Virginia, and then visiting the corporate headquarters in Destin, Fla., the Jankowskis were sold. “It was a healthy alternative to fast food,†Laura Jankowski said, noting there were few similar options on Long Island. “And I liked how the corporate office treated its franchisees like family.â€
