Springfield Acai Bowl changes ownership

Ownership of a nearly 3-year-old acai bowl restaurant has changed hands.

Husband and wife Harlan and Lesly Johnson said they closed on the purchase of Springfield Acai Bowl, 230 E. Republic Road, on Jan. 1 from founders Guy and Teresa Keehner for undisclosed terms. A second Springfield Acai Bowl, which operated for a year at 1655 W. State Highway J until its closure in August, was not part of the deal.

"I worked for Guy and Teresa for over a year whenever they had the Ozark location. I worked it the whole time it was open," Lesly said. "Last year, they told us they wanted to sell. We were the first people they thought of."

Harlan said the new business owners took over the lease of the roughly 2,000-square-foot space housing Springfield Acai Bowl, with lease terms undisclosed. The shopping center building east of the Republic Road and Campbell Avenue intersection is owned by the Rose Lee Haik Revocable Living Trust, according to Greene County assessor records.

Menu items at Springfield Acai Bowl include acai bowls of various flavors, waffles and smoothies, with prices generally ranging $6-$13, Lesly said. The shop employs six.

Harlan, who works as a pastor at Life.Church, said the couple sees the business purchase as "more than a transaction."

"We want to get to know people in the community even better and build relationships that we would never get to build outside of this," he said.