Here in Garden Plain there are many wonderful companies that love benefiting the community, whether that’s by giving people a safe place where they can relax from all their daily worries or providing them with a tea that is not only going to benefit your health but also make your day. One company who exceeds these things and so much more is Body and Soul Nutrition.

Body and Soul Nutrition officially opened at the end of February 2022. They’re located at 30002 W. Harry St. here in Garden Plain, between the car wash and the gas station. Body and Soul Nutrition is owned by Brianna & Kody Jennings. Brianna’s inspiration to start the company sparked from her sister’s business and Iron Nutrition. Jennings said, “We had opened our sister’s business, Joyful Mysteries, a year and a half earlier and we were looking to expand its footprint and add an element that complimented our Catholic gift and book shop. Our family had frequented Iron Nutrition in Goddard for a few years, and we had spoken with the owner multiple times about starting our own club. The time was finally right for us to find a space that could accommodate both businesses and offer a new concept to the community.”

The reasoning behind the company’s name represents what their company is about and how they want to make an impact. Jennings shared, “We knew that we wanted our nutrition club to compliment our Catholic Shop, and it was important to us that the name reflected more than just drinks. Body and Soul Nutrition is a place where our customers can not only take care of their bodies, but also their well-being. This is a place for friendships to develop, where we encourage community involvement, and promote healthy lifestyle decisions.”

After opening their business they took various steps to ensure their success. “Just like with any new business, we had to hire an employee for some help and figure our what was working and what wasn’t. For example, we had to test out a few different hours of operation to see what met the needs of the community and our own abilities to run the shop while balancing a family at home,” said Jennings.

Along with that, after opening they encountered a few hardships. Jennings explained, “I wouldn’t classify this as a difficulty, but more of an opportunity. Due to our location, there are still many people who don’t know we exist or where we are located. We are working to get a sign out by our entrance, that will be more visible, so people know we are here and ready to meet their needs. It also means there is a whole group of people we have yet to reach and connect with, which we look forward to!”

They’ve had huge accomplishments in their company, especially with reaching out to others outside of Garden Plain and giving back to the community. Jennings added, “We aren’t limited to serving just the Garden Plain Community. We are so grateful to have customers that come to see us from Kingman, Viola, Clearwater, Andale, Colwich, Goddard and even Wichita. We love connecting with others to meet their health needs and to be able to introduce them to this awesome community! It opens doors to support other businesses in town and send people to visit them. In addition, we’ve had the pleasure of hosting multiple give back days to raise money for families in the community that needed support. It’s an amazing feeling to see people show up and help others.”

One thing that people love is the friendly and safe environment they have. “We are family and friend’s environment. Whether you’re coming to participate in a class, bible study, or book club through Joyful Mysteries, or you’re there to meet up with a friend, we’re here to serve up a healthy alternative for meals and snacks and a clean energy source that won’t make you crash,” Jennings replied. People throughout the community and beyond are grateful for the time they’ve spent at Body and Soul.

Body and Soul offers a variety of teas and shakes. Jenica Trout, sophomore at GPHS and Body and Soul employee, said that her personal favorite drink is the Beach Babe tea. Trout said her favorite part about her job is, “getting to talk to people and having small conversations with them.” This job has taught her the importance of being on time, staying organized, and thinking ahead.

Senior at GPHS and also an employee, Cassidy Koester’s go-to tea is the Cass-a-tea. Her favorite thing about working at Body and Soul is that she has met new people that she didn’t know lived in Garden Plain and is excited to keep meeting more. Koester enjoys being able to talk to people and recognize who they are which she believes is a vital skill.

GPHS sophomore, Jaicey Stuhlsatz, recommends the red velvet cheesecake shake to try next time you visit. She loves how Christ-like the inside is and the various other products they offer. GPHS Athletic Director, Cory Brack’s drink recommendation is the Jason’s Tea, which was an October special this last month. Brack also enjoys talking with Brianna about the football team and boys on the team.

Body and Soul Nutrition is currently open 7 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. You can check them out on their Facebook and Instagram accounts.