This business closed and was supposed to move nearby. Then the owner had a new idea.

Almost two years ago, Austin Dugan closed his 86 Cold Press at 600 E. Douglas, saying that he would reopen soon at another downtown address.

But that move never happened: Dugan says the deal on the space he’d lined up fell through, and he had to take a hard look at his cold-press juice business, which he started in 2016 after he found that healthy eating — and especially juicing — helped him manage his Crohn’s disease.

People who were used to stopping in Dugan’s shop on Douglas may have wondered whatever became of 86 Cold Press. But it’s still operating and is as healthy as ever, Dugan said. Though he lowered his profile by leaving his bricks-and-mortar space, Dugan never stopped making his fresh cold-press juice plus homemade yogurt, probiotic blends, dried fruits and “energy nug” snacks. And he never stopped serving his most loyal group of customers.

He’s just changed the way he did it.

Dugan is now operating 86 Cold Press as a delivery-only business, and you might see one of his two delivery vehicles — a smart car and an electric Hyundai Kona — tooling around the area as he drops juices off to clients.

The new system works so well that, two years after closing his retail shop, Dugan has decided that he doesn’t really want to open another one.

“That energy has not changed for me,” Dugan said. “I still want to be able to reach a larger market. It’s just, ‘How do I do it more efficiently?’”

When the deal for his new space fell through in 2022, Dugan said, he was forced to develop a Plan B. At the time, he and his partner had just purchased and were remodeling a home, and it occurred to Dugan that there was space for a commercial kitchen.

So he built one, got it certified by the health department and started juicing for his clients at home while he decided what to do about a storefront. He decided he’d just make deliveries and soon developed routes that took him all over the area.

He posted his products for sale on his website, www.86coldpress.com, and business grew. Today, Dugan delivers juices every Tuesday and Friday, making his first drop-offs as early as 5 a.m. and finishing up by 8 a.m. Some people sign up for monthly subscriptions and get Dugan’s juices — made using a hydraulic press that mashes fruits and veggies between plates, turning them into raw juice. Others order juices a la carte in flavors like “Sunshine,” a blend of lemon, pineapple, rosemary and agave, and “Hansa,” a bright green juice that includes cucumber, green apple, carrot, kale, cilantro and lime.

“The goal is to get the freshest product there before my client starts their day,” he said.

When he realized how well the new system was working, Dugan said, he also decided to rebrand the business, and he adopted a new logo that features a cartoon character who Dugan has named Ed. The character is a “modern-day milkman,” said Dugan — and that’s kind of who Dugan is now, too. He delivers fresh bottles of juice to peoples’ doorsteps and picks up their old bottles for cleaning and refilling.

Ed’s image has recently been added to Dugan’s two delivery vehicles.

Dugan says that his business works better without a storefront for a variety of reasons. In addition to lowering overhead costs, his new system allows him to attract customers who are serious about juicing for their health.

“What’s really interesting about going online with local delivery — and I know that it takes a little bit more for people to plan ahead and to pre-order — but the people that do it appreciate it and do it for their health. They’re not just wanting to just stop into a juice bar and take a photo of the juice.”

Though he doesn’t want another retail space, Dugan said he is on the hunt for a building. He wants to move his kitchen out of his home and is in search of a 4,000 square-foot building he can buy and convert. Doing so would also allow his clients, especially those who live out of town — to pick their products up.

He also hasn’t ruled out one day setting up a booth at a local farmer’s market and selling his juices there.

Dugan said he hasn’t stopped creating new products over the past two years. He’s recently partnered with Cofellow Coffee Parlor in Goddard, which is producing a coffee roast specifically for Dugan. He then dehydrates ginger and turmeric leftover from making his juices and mixes them into the grounds.

“The intention is that with our daily brew, now you can have a more healthy alternative and get some health benefits from it.”

Dugan, who first started 86 Cold Press by selling his juices from a delivery bike he’d take to events, said he’s proud of his business’s longevity. He’s one of a very few people in town still offering cold-press juice, and he takes that responsibility seriously. He also tries to offer help and advise others trying to get started in the business, he said.

Dugan is thankful for the clients who have stuck with him, he said, and his list includes about 600 names. The more personal approach he’s adopted has helped him remember why he opened 86 Cold Press: to help people live healthier lifestyles.

“It’s really been able to connect me closer to the whole reason I started it in the first place.”