Healthy Meals Cafe Planned for East Town

A new, family-owned restaurant in the East Town neighborhood would provide healthy, convenient meals for on-the-go customers.

Married couple LaQuita Brooks and Troy Brooks would open Brooks’ Balanced Kitchen at 731 N. Jackson St.

The 500-square-foot business would open at ground level in the Wintrust bank building. The previous tenant, Java Corner Cafe, closed during the pandemic.

The grab-and-go-style cafe would serve breakfast, fresh salads, pizza, smoothies and an assortment of sandwiches, with an emphasis on healthy, well-balanced meals.

Health and wellness have always been priorities for the owners, who are both former athletes and current personal trainers at Fit Pro Milwaukee, a gym located in the same building as the upcoming business. The couple also launched their own holistic wellness program, Brooks Balance 7, which promotes a healthy, balanced lifestyle through virtual and in-person workout classes, meal prep and wellness counseling.

“We understand the importance of wellness,” LaQuita Brooks said. “We have a lot of family members who have struggled with chronic health issues, and there’s a lot of health disparities in our community. So our overall goal was to make exercising and wellness popular and encourage it, because it’s not always talked about as something that’s a priority.”

The couple also have two young daughters, which has only strengthened their dedication to health and wellness, as well as informed how they plan programs to be approachable for parents and families.

LaQuita Brooks explained that people often view exercise and healthy eating as a chore or a serious task, when in reality, it’s “something that can also be fun,” she said. “We try to find fun ways to make it family-oriented as well.”

The couple would make minor changes to the space, with plans to paint and decorate in shades of green, dark blue and yellow to create “a peaceful, welcoming environment.”

“We’re trying to create an environment where people come in and they feel good,” LaQuita Brooks said. “Their energy is increased by coming into our location.”

The business is expected to open in early 2023.

For updates and more information, visit the Brooks Balance 7 website.

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