Being the head of a small business has its ups and downs, and Ashley Lingle loves every minute of it. “I never think twice about opening Happy Juice,” she said. “I am very blessed and thankful for this opportunity to serve Vancouver and surrounding area.” Lingle is a young entrepreneur and the owner of Happy Juice, a healthy twist on your classic drive-thru coffee and smoothie bar at 1501 N.E. 99 St. The business offers a variety of specialty coffees, fruit smoothies, fresh protein shakes and acai bowls. Lingle’s passion for the trade goes back to when she was a child. She recalls getting hot chocolate with her grandfather and telling him about her dream of owning a coffee shop. She carried that dream with her through adulthood and got her start in the business as a staff member at Dutch Bros. As she grew in her career, being promoted to shift lead and then manager, Lingle began to realize her passion for the business side of coffee. She began to wonder if there was a way to give back to the community by continuing to make delicious drinks, but now with a focus on health and wellness.

Having been raised in Clark County, she decided it was a no-brainer to open a shop in Hazel Dell, with an opening date in September 2021. Opening a new business during the COVID-19 pandemic was no easy task. Lingle expressed how tumultuous and stressful the process was, with countless delays and obstacles of pandemic guidelines to overcome. Lingle wasn’t about to let a few speed bumps get in her way. She often works six days a week, from opening to close. She works both as a regular staff member, making drinks and meals for customers, as well as fulfilling her role as owner by maintaining and ordering ingredients to uphold the company’s values of health and wellness. Lingle also has a business partner in her fiance, John Ross. A full-time registered nurse, Ross makes time in his schedule to join the team in making coffee and keeping everything up and running.

As the success of the stand grows, Lingle keeps an eye on the future with plans to expand to more locations throughout the Vancouver and Portland-metro area. At the end of it all, being able to share smiles between the team and its customers is what Lingle says makes it all worth it. “The Vancouver community has been so welcoming and open to new local businesses,” Lingle said. “Watching the west side of Vancouver continue to revitalize and redevelop is so exciting, and we here at Happy Juice are thrilled to be a part of it.”

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