Two new businesses to open

STEVENS POINT — Tropical Smoothie Café will open its doors on March 5, providing Stevens Point residents with a national chain new to town. Though not entirely new to the region, with Wisconsin Rapids Tropical Smoothie Cafes’ owners opening up the new restaurant located at 316 Division Street. The restaurant is located in the former Family Video, which closed in 2021 after the DVD rental service announced the closures of all their remaining locations due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Tropical Smoothie Café offers its namesake with an array of smoothies in addition to acai bowls, breakfast wraps, flatbreads, and more.
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet will also join the Stevens Point community, located at 5601 U.S. 10. According to Ollie’s Bargain Outlet’s website, they state, “Ollie’s is America’s largest retailer of closeout merchandise and excess inventory since 1982.” As a closeout retailer, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet aims to sell overstock products at discounted prices, with their stock ranging from flooring, cookware, electronics, and food.
The retailer is set to open in the former Big Lots building by mid-June. They will neighbor Dunham’s Sports, Ross Dress for Less, and Five Below. Big Lots opened in fall of 2023, and closed just about a year later in the fall of 2024. The location has remained empty until Ollie’s Bargain Outlet announced they will be moving in.
While Tropical Smoothie Café and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet will soon join the Portage County community, Mi Pueblo recently announced their sudden closure. Located at 190 Crossroads Drive in Plover, the Mexican restaurant announced on social media their location would be closing immediately, but that a “food trailer” could still redeem gift certificates or coupons.