Business partners Steven Brewer and Elijah Berry opened Anchor on Vashon Saturday, Feb. 12 — a new business that is bringing healthy, fast food to islanders.

Anchor on Vashon, located between Camp Colvos Brewing and Giraffe, boasts a menu full of “unusual twists,” that integrates superfood and health benefits for its items that include smoothies, oatmeal and coffee beverages. A top-seller, for instance, includes the turmeric and blueberry oatmeal.

Brewer, who has lived on Vashon for the last three years, knew he wanted to find a way to serve the community when he initially moved to the island. He has spent the last year working as the marketing director at the Vashon Chamber of Commerce, where he saw a need for healthy, fast food on Vashon.

Berry, who initially came to the Seattle area to work as a nurse for the federal government, moved to Vashon about six years.

“I’m from a small town in Missouri, [and] I really like the connection to a community you can have in a small area,” said Berry.

Brewer and Berry met at a local gym, Vashon Strong, where Berry learned about Brewer’s idea to open Anchor on Vashon, and the two decided to become business partners. Brewer primarily works the front of house, while Berry, who holds an MBA from the University of Washington, works behind the scenes balancing the books.

“It’s been a really good partnership,” said Berry.

The new business, situated in an espresso stand Brewer spent four months remodeling in his yard, is designed to look like a ferry. Brewer found the stand in Marysville, Washington, and got into a bidding war for it with a few bikini baristas before he ultimately able to purchase the stand.

“Luckily the owner believed in my mission after [hearing] the details of where it was going and what we were trying to do,” said Brewer.

Brewer and Berry are also working to keep Anchor on Vashon approachable and accessible to all islanders.

“We’re trying to keep our overhead as low as possible so that we can keep our prices down, and the reason we’re doing that is because a lot of folks in Vashon — whether its teenagers, whether its industry workers — have been priced out of being able to afford a lot of what’s on the island,” said Brewer. “And so if we can get more healthy options out there for our community, that’s a huge win for us.”

In addition, Brewer and Berry are focused on having their new business “represent Vashon in every way possible.” Local artist Steffon Moody created a large acrylic painting that portrays the business’ mascots — a hare named Vash and a tortoise named Maury.

Berry named the business’ mascots, and Brewer explained that the two mascots show “a balance of strengths” and the next chapter of when the tortoise and hare begin working together, rather than competing. Vash and Maury appear at the front of the shop, and throughout merchandise.

Anchor on Vashon has also partnered with Michelle Lassaline, another island artist, to provide artwork for their business. All the watercolor paintings around the shop and in marketing are made by Lassaline, as well as the artwork included on the Anchor on Vashon menu.

Brewer and Berry are also giving back with their new business, as they plan to launch a program that uses the proceeds from the sales of their empowerment smoothies to go towards gift cards that will be passed out to community leaders “to reward good behavior with a healthy benefit.”

Brewer and Berry are also grateful to their business mentors, including Josh Thorn at Vashon Strong and Samantha Weigand at Vashon Island Baking Company, as well as support from Little Bird Gardens in offering partnerships, C’Mon Barber reposting them on social media and Vashon Electric for setting up their cart in time to open.

“The support we’ve gotten from the other restaurants on the island [and] other businesses on the island has just been really invaluable,” said Berry.

The duo is also enjoying the enthusiasm from their customers, who are offering feedback about the menu that Brewer and Berry value. Brewer said Anchor on Vashon already has regulars, which has been very exciting as well.

“The most charming was an elderly man [who] came, and I gave him the spiel about us opening and he was like, ‘Keep being brave, son,’” said Brewer.