Photography by Jane Kortright
I’ve worked in a gym for almost 15 years, primarily as a personal trainer and CrossFit coach. I enjoy food and love eating decadent meals for this section of Augusta magazine. But I do my best to add some balance with healthy food that fuels me and keeps me going for work and play.
I have my go-to meals that are easy to prepare and nutritious but, unfortunately, I’m terrible at making smoothies. I understand the concept, yet I never seem to get the ratio of ingredients right — a balanced meal that tastes good with enough protein, not too much sugar and few healthy fats. From now on, I’ve decided to let the staff at Bowl Boss in North Augusta conquer that challenge.
Mother-daughter team Vicky Matson and Tricia Godwin understand the hard work it takes to run a business, having done it for years. Being new to the food and beverage industry, though, they decided the best option would be a franchise. Matson says they prayed a lot about wanting to invest in something they believed in that would also benefit the community.
Boss Bowl has a variety of items like fruit-covered waffles with optional sweeteners. They are known primarily for their fantastic smoothie bowls with crunchy toppings like cacao nibs, nuts and more. If you order a smoothie with strawberries and bananas, your smoothie will have strawberries and bananas — nothing else. If that sounds boring, then there are options to customize just about any item, but there is also a signature menu for guidance and inspiration.
“Our bowls are blended daily for a standard consistency. It’s all fresh. We’re not slinging stuff that’s been sitting in the freezer for half a day,” says Matson.
The founder of Bowl Boss is a holistic nutritionist with a dairy allergy so the standard operating procedures in the kitchen and behind the counter have been designed to avoid cross-contamination. All available protein add-ons are plant-based, and they even have gluten-free granola as the default option.
“You can eat our food and actually feel good afterward,” says Matson. “We have fun foods, of course, but you know what you’re getting. We’re not pumping sugar into anything.”
As a result, Matson and Godwin have put a lot of time and effort into making the space at 210 Georgia Avenue inviting and cheerful. “My big ‘why’ is happy people,” says Matson. “I wake up every morning and think, ‘Man, I get to hang out at a place that is colorful and has fun music and good food!’”
She loves seeing families come in or college students studying during lunch. “It’s not a big place, but it’s big enough that people can hang out with a friend.” On any given day Bowl Boss serves runners, CrossFitters like me, people with allergies or anyone who wants a fresh, healthy and great-tasting smoothie bowl.
Seen in the November/December 2024 issue of Augusta magazine.
