COPPELL, Texas — Read this story and more North Texas business news from our partners at the Dallas Business Journal.
Smoothie King just got a lot cooler.
Rapper 2 Chainz has been tapped as the newest franchisee for the Coppell-based chain.
In partnership with another franchisee, Phillip Jones, 2 Chainz is set to open a Smoothie King kiosk June 26 inside State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
Smoothie King CEO Wan Kim said the collaboration with 2 Chainz "aligns perfectly" with the company's mission to promote a healthy and active lifestyle.
2 Chainz, a Georgia native, felt that opening a location inside the arena that's home to the NBA's Atlanta Hawks was the "right move," he said in a statement.
"I visit Smoothie King at least twice a week, so this partnership has been a long time coming," he said.
The kiosk will debut during an NBA Draft party hosted by the Hawks. Smoothie King became the official smoothie partner of the team in 2023.
A spokesperson for Smoothie King said the State Farm Arena location is the only franchise owned by 2 Chainz "for the time being."
Before his career as a rapper with the stage name 2 Chainz, Tauheed Epps played basketball for Alabama State University in the 1990s. He was part of the Atlanta-based hip-hop group Playaz Circle before launching a solo career in 2010 that has earned him acclaim and songs with Kanye West, Nicki Minaj and Drake.
Smoothie King's partnership with 2 Chainz comes as the North Texas company embarks on expansion plans. In 2023, the company announced plans to open more than 160 new locations across the U.S., with 15 in the pipeline for Dallas-Fort Worth.
