CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Paul Rhodes and his wife Armi are veterans who decided to make Clarksville their home as well as their place of business by opening Tropical Smoothie Café.

Rhodes joined the Army in 1990 and met Armi later that year. His wife retired from the Army in 2010, and Rhodes joined her in 2018 after 28 years of service. He served in Afghanistan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Bosnia, Korea and Germany.

A salad prepared at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, on Feb. 8. 2022. (Lee Erwin).
A salad waiting on it’s final touches at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, on Feb. 8. 2022. (Lee Erwin).
An employee prepares a wrap, along with a salad, at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, on Feb. 8. 2022. (Lee Erwin).
An employee prepares a salad, at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, on Feb. 8. 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Tropical Smoothie Cafe at 1825 Madison St., on Feb. 8. 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Employees at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, join Owner Paul Rhodes, on Feb. 8. 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Owner Paul Rhodes waits on a customer, on Feb. 8. 2022. (Lee Erwin).
An employee prepares a smoothie at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, on Feb. 8. 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Inside the dining area at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, on Feb. 8. 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Employees prepare smoothies for customers at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, on Feb. 8. 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Employees talk about preparing food, at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, on Feb. 8. 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Employees take car of customers at the drive-through, at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, on Feb. 8. 2022. (Lee Erwin).
An employee waits on customers, at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, on Feb. 8. 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Inside the dining area atTropical Smoothie Cafe, on Feb. 8. 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Employees busy taking care of customers, at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, on Feb. 8. 2022. (Lee Erwin).
An employee shows off a wrap ready to be served, at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, on Feb. 8. 2022. (Lee Erwin).
An employee prepares a wrap, at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, on Feb. 8. 2022. (Lee Erwin).
An employee prepares wraps for a customer, at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, on Feb. 8. 2022. (Lee Erwin).

Rhodes was at Fort Campbell from 2011-2014 the first time, and then he returned in 2017 until his retirement.

In 2005, after 15 years of service, he started thinking about retirement. “I looked far and wide and I honed in on franchising. I thought franchising is a great way for soldiers to move forward in life,” Rhodes said.

In 2016, Rhodes’ travels as an Army recruiter took him through Paducah, Kentucky. He stopped at a Tropical Smoothie Café near one of the recruiting centers, tried a smoothie, and said it really tasted good.

“The next time I went through, I got a smoothie and some food and told my wife, ‘Hey, this is the one.’ She tried it out and said, ‘Let’s go for it,’” Rhodes said. He knew he would be retiring in a few years, and he decided what he wanted to do.

Working with a staff is part of the fun. “I enjoy the energy of young people, and I felt I wanted to do the same thing that I did as a drill sergeant: meet young people who are open to growing and becoming great members of their communities,” Rhodes said.

Opening the cafe

Tropical Smoothie Café opened in June 2019, offering smoothies plus wraps, flatbreads, sandwiches, salad bowls and quesadillas.

The local restaurant has been dedicated to serving the community and has made multiple donations, including to Loaves and Fishes, Operation Stand Down Tennessee, I Am Invisible, Artlink, and others.

Rhodes had some advice for soldiers on starting a business after their service.

“One is to plan. A lot of people don’t plan for a major transition. I think if you have been in the military for any amount of time, you have to start long term. But the biggest thing is to find something that matches you and your desires,” Rhodes said.

About Tropical Smoothie

Tropical Smoothie Café is at 1825 Madison St., and they are open Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m.-8 p.m. They offer dine-in, drive-through, and delivery.

For more, go to the Tropical Smoothie Clarksville website or call 931-919-2220.