A new traveling coffee and matcha food truck called the Whimsy Beverage Bar has popped up in Auburn, bringing fresh, organic drinks to the area along with the inspired stories of two young women.
The owners, Victoria McAbee and Jasmine Lee, focus on community and shared experiences and want to promote the Ayurveda lifestyle that had a huge impact on their lives.
McAbee and Lee became best friends in their freshman year of college at an event that brings many southerners together — the Iron Bowl.
These two Auburn fans hit it off at the 2013 game tailgate and have been inseparable ever since.
Together, these women discovered their passion for wellness and leading a holistic lifestyle, which was, in many ways, a life changer.
“We have both dealt with disordered eating in the past, and we are both finally at a place in our lives where we have a great relationship with food and our bodies,” McAbee said.
Lee graduated from the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University in December 2017 and McAbee went Auburn University at Montgomery to the to study design before leaving to start her own online company.
Staying in Auburn to open a coffee shop was never their plan.
“A few months ago, we honestly wanted to pack our cars and move to the West Coast where wellness is truly prioritized and the word adaptogenic isn’t a total mind bang,” McAbee said.
They were entirely ready to say goodbye to their lives in Auburn and head to the coast until one seemingly ordinary night out at a bar. As they sat having a glass of Prosecco, McAbee asked Lee if she would want to open a coffee shop. She said yes, and three months later, Whimsy Beverage Bar was born.
“It required a lot of sleepless nights, and while I did all of the brand-identity design and website design, Jasmine did a ton of research on the nutrition side of things,” McAbee said.
McAbee’s experience in web design from owning her own web branding and design studio came in handy in creating the aesthetic that represents Whimsy today. Lee also contributed with her prior health food knowledge from running a health and wellness site called “Sprinkled,” where she makes vegan and plant-based recipes.
McAbee said that their drinks hold many health benefits for customers.
“Our drinks promote overall wellness and cellular health, but some of the top benefits that we adore are increased brain function along with stress and anxiety relief,” McAbee said.
The Whimsy owners explained the history and benefits of the ancient lifestyle of Ayurveda and adaptogenics.
“Ayurveda means ‘the science of life’ and is a holistic healing practice that originated from Hindu medicine,” McAbee said. “Nutrition-wise, Ayurveda focuses on using herbal superfoods called adaptogenics to balance the body.”
Their business concept is centered around making Whimsy stand out from competing coffee shops.
“We are the only coffee and matcha bar locally and possibly in the Southeast that offers organic, all-natural, adaptogenic beverages with a primarily plant-based menu,” McAbee said.
She said her favorite drink they make is the “matcha made in heaven,” which is a frothy matcha drink infused with lavender oil. It is also great for your hair, skin and nails because of the high levels of vitamin D and E.
Lee is a coffee lover, so her favorite is the “don’t worry be happy,” which has a rich, buttery taste, even though it contains no dairy.
Correction: The original post quoted McAbee saying "eating disorders," but it has been corrected to "disordered eating" to reflect McAbee's direct quote. We deeply regret the error.
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