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Tenleytown location benefits local smoothie shop

20140707_091751The Tenleytown Robeks store is still going strong after nine years despite the closings of several other Robeks stores in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, according to a store official.

Pedro Lazo, manager of the Tenleytown store, credited location as the reason the store is doing so well.

Located in the heart of Tenleytown–on Wisconsin Avenue by the entrance to the Whole Foods parking garage–the store gets its business from what Lazo calls a “very diverse crowd,” including college students, residents, area employees and Metro users.

20140707_102113_Richtone(HDR)“We do really well,” Lazo said. “We’re always busy. I think we might be one of the best stores in the district, if not the best store.”

In fact, the Tenleytown store is doing so well that many customers were unaware that other locations had closed.

Over the past two to four years, four stores have closed due to lack of business in the D.C. metropolitan area, including the Cabin John, College Park, Rockville Town Square, and Fairfax locations, which according to Lazo is easily attributed to bad locations.

“Robeks does pretty well but it depends on location,” Lazo said.

20140707_102239_Richtone(HDR)Tenleytown allows small businesses to thrive because of its proximity to public transportation, schools, and big box stores that draw customers in, according to a Tenleytown Retail Submarket Strategic Assessment.

The report also stated that retail businesses in Tenleytown benefit from a large and wealthy daytime population, who can afford Robeks’ smoothies ranging from $4 to $8 dollars.

With a great retail location comes competition from other stores nearby including Starbucks but that doesn’t concern Lazo or the business’ bottom line.

“In the winter they are really busy and we are really slow, and20140707_105428 in the summer we’re a little bit busier,” Lazo said.

Despite this, Robeks still has major competition from other smoothie stores like Jamba Juice, but it’s closest location is three miles away in Dupont Circle.

“If anyone is going to be our competition it’s really them,” Lazo said.

Lazo believes that Robeks will remain in Tenleytown for years to come and continue to integrate onto social media with new promotions. The manager, who is very passionate about his work, also sees himself moving up the ladder.

“I see myself being owner,” Lazo said of his hopes for his future at Robeks.

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American University summer programs offer experiences, meeting new people

WASHINGTON- Teachers and students from all over the world are congregating at American University to participate in various programs with the hopes of gaining experience, learning and meeting new people.

Monica Emma, 18, from Bellmawr, New Jersey, quickly grabbed a Frappuccino before she left to lead an orientation for new freshmen.

The incoming sophomore is staying on campus for the summer and whether helping with transition issues or answering questions, Emma takes pride in improving the college experience for the new students.

“I like to tell people that while AU may not have been your first choice or even if you are really excited to go here, AU is the place for you,” Emma said.

. Nineteen-year-old Stephan Piencian, an incoming junior from Linden, New Jersey, is another American University student residing on campus this summer.

With a smile spread across his face, Piencian is working part-time at the information desk at the Mary Graydon Center answering people’s questions and giving directions.

“I figured it would be a good experience to be in Washington, D.C. during the summer,”  Piencian said.

There is still more summer to come, but so far Piencian is enjoying his time.

“I think it’s been a very educational experience for my life,” Piencian said

. Programs such as the National Student Leadership Conference and Discover the World of Communication are hosting various camps for teenagers at American University this summer.

At American University, as well as many other college campuses, NSLC offers programs in the fields of education, sciences, national security, diplomacy, communication and politics, all while teaching young adults about effective leadership, according to its website.

Jessie Elop shares her excitement about the forensics science program. Photo by Lila Bromberg
Jessie Elop shares her excitement about the forensics science program. Photo by Lila Bromberg

Jessie Elop, 15, showed pure excitement when talking about the forensics science program that she started on June 27 and ends July 6.

Students in this program listen to lectures concerning fields of forensic science and get the opportunity to work on realistic cases.

One of the cases involved a woman who appeared to be hung with most common signs pointed to suicide; however after examining the crime scene, Elop said the suicide may have been a scam.

Each student has a different job and they work as a team to solve the case. Elop works as a sketch artist for the crime scene so she has turned the scene into a graph and plotted it out to scale so it can be revisited visually.

“I’ve really enjoyed it,” Elop said. “Besides forensics we have learned a lot about leadership and although some things have seemed a little slow, they all have a good purpose in the end. I’ve really enjoyed it overall.”

In fact, the program has caused her to rethink her future career.

“Initially, I thought I could be a forensic scientist working on crime scenes and since originally thinking that, I’ve learned a lot about being a medical examiner,” Elop said. “I think that might be a very cool path.”

Nona Bankova, 17, has traveled from Bulgaria to take part in the NSLC program. She is taking a broadcast journalism class, in which she says she is doing many new things.

“I think it’s very interesting and I can learn many things I have never experienced before,” Bankova said. “With the technology, with the camera, with the way you speak in front of the camera, and I like it a lot.”

She has also enjoyed group activities such as casino night and guest speakers.

“The way they speak to us, the way they influence us, the way they inspire us,” Bankova said. “This is one of the greatest things.”

Fifteen-year-old Ricky Sayer of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, is also hard at work in broadcast journalism and professional newswriting, but is a part of the DWC program, which solely focuses on communication programs.

Similarly to NSLC, DWC goes on many field trips to places such as baseball games, museums, and even a cruise boat.

“It’s really fun,” Sayer said. “You learn a lot that I couldn’t learn back at school, so it’s really a great experience.”