More than just protein and coffee, a Huntington business owner wants to serve her customers a space to be themselves and even a shoulder to cry on, she said.
Alicia Mays, owner of Third Avenue Nutrition, said since the opening right before Thanksgiving 2025, the health shop has created a community of customers.
“I get very personal with my regulars, so it’s not like they come in and are known by their drink, and then they walk out the door,” Mays said. “We’re more on a friend type basis where I get to hear about their families, accomplishments in their career and their schooling.”
Third Avenue Nutrition is a wellness shop that offers protein shakes, coffees, loaded teas and other nutritious options.
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“Our protein shakes and coffees both have 24 grams of protein in them and can be meal replacements,” she said. “We also have loaded teas, which is our version of an energy drink, with 160 milligrams of caffeine, antioxidants and electrolytes.”
Mays said the shop’s products are all natural, including their energy products, to prevent the crash, jitters or racing heart effect many energy drinks might have.
Likewise, she said any drink can have add-ins, such as collagen, fat release, immunity essentials and hydration.
“All of our stuff is naturally based and backed by the FDA, cellular nutrition, and some of our stuff is gluten-free certified,” Mays said. “They are tested in-house to prove that we do have 100% of our ingredients.”
As for bestsellers, Mays said loaded teas take the top spot, but the flavors are driven by customer creativity with endless combinations to choose from.
“We have customers who come in, and they want to mix certain flavors, so we will, and we let the customers name them,” she said. “There’s one on the menu called ‘Scooby Gummies’ because it tastes like those blue Scooby-Doo gummies you used to be able to get.”
Alongside Scooby Gummies, another flavor creation was made by her son inspired by the taste of Nerds candy, which Mays said displays the variety of combinations customers can try.
“All of our stuff is very versatile, so if you come in and don’t like a certain flavor, I can leave it out,” she said. “I can also add something in for you to create your own. It’s very easy to swap around.”
For those new to the health and wellness space and are unsure of what to order, Third Avenue Nutrition offers wellness profiles personalized to each specific consumer, Mays said.
“We take down your weight, measurements, protein intake, water intake, body mass, bone mass and muscle mass,” she said. “We have a scale that actually breaks it all down for specific age, weight and height to guide customers from there.”
In addition, Mays said if customers come in with specific goals in mind, the shop is fully equipped to make recommendations to meet those needs.
“We can recommend other products, such as our teas, [which] are also appetite curbers, and our coffees and shakes can serve as meal replacements over a big fried lunch,” she said. “We also have other add-ins, such as aloe, to help with digestion.”
Beyond the menu, operating in a college town offers Third Avenue Nutrition with its own sense of shared community, Mays said.
“I’ve had the opportunity to interact with groups and kids that I typically wouldn’t have,” she said. “It’s made me want to be more involved like them and to do whatever I can to help them further their education by helping guide them on a healthy path, especially if they don’t have that guidance.”
Mays said Marshall students get 15% off of their purchases at Third Avenue Nutrition by presenting their Marshall ID as well as varied seasonal specials.
In terms of growth, Third Avenue Nutrition aims to expand their clientele and have more involvement in the community, she said.
“I am starting an ambassador program as well as doing social media Sundays to invite those ambassadors to experience the shop as well as getting our name out there,” Mays said.
At its core, she said Third Avenue Nutrition is where those who walk through the doors turn into family.
“I want everyone to feel comfortable and that they’re in a down to earth space,” Mays said. “You can come, hang out and grab a drink, but you can also have a shoulder to lean on.”
Kaitlyn Fleming can be contacted at [email protected].
