Customers trickled in every 10 minutes or so, and the Fergusons would welcome each with a “Champion High-Five” as already-regulars picked their shake flavor of the day. Music blared in the background while one of the Fergusons slide a mango aloe shot across the counter.

It’s been just more than a week since the Ferguson family opened shop with Champion Nutrition nestled on the corner of small shopping center next to Great Wall.

Champion Nutrition had a family and friends grand opening April 28 and then opened to the public on April 30.

Since opening, owner Katrina Ferguson said she has seen a steady flow in customers.

On the third day, she and her sons, Montravius and Russell, made more than 120 shakes.

“People are going crazy (over it),” Montravius said. “It’s been amazing.”

Katrina said she even had to overnight an order of ingredients the shop that was sold out of.

The shop is part of Herbalife Nutrition, a global nutrition company.

The Ferguson family is from Miami, but Montravius said he moved to Frankfort about seven years ago to be with his girlfriend, and now wife, who was attending Kentucky State University.

Now, Montravius pastors at a church in Frankfort.

He joined Herbalife after his mother introduced him to it in November.

Katrina joined Herbalife in July 2017. She first started working in an Herbalife shop in Frankfort, but eventually, wanted to open a store her family could own and operate.

Katrina said she joined Herbalife because she was tired of “Corporate America.” She said after going to a training conference in Columbus with her boss at the shop in Frankfort, Katrina liked what she learned, and knew this is what she needed to do.

“It’s been going ever since,” she said.

Katrina said opening the shop has given her financial freedom and the liberty to work on her terms, allowing her to spend more time with her family.

“I’ve never been more present than I am now,” she said.

Montravius said he has been preaching a lot about stepping out on faith and that’s what he and his family did.

He said there weren’t any other nutrition shops like Champion Nutrition in Winchester, so it seemed like an excellent opportunity.

Montravius said he wanted to remind everyone they are a champion, thus the name Champion Nutrition.

He also wants to emphasize family.

“This is our Champion family,” Montravius said. “Everybody who comes in, you’re part of the Champion family. No matter who you are, where you’re from, how you may feel, you’re a champion.”

Each customer receives a Champion special for $7, which includes a mango aloe shot, a tea and a shake.

The aloe shot is meant to help with digestion, heartburn and more. The tea is a metabolism booster, ranging between 70 and 100 calories and comes in various flavors, including peach or raspberry.

Each meal replacement shake has from 200 to 250 calories and 26 grams of protein. There are more than 80 flavors on the menu.  Shakes also include more than 20 nutrients and vitamins. Add-ons such like probiotics, fiber, etcetera, are available for extra cost.

The best part? The shakes are true to taste, Katrina said.

“What it says it tastes like, is what it tastes like,” she said. “Taste just like their name.”

Flavors include lemon poundcake, buckeye, wedding cake, birthday cake, Fruity Pebbles, butter pecan and many more.

Katrina said there are about 21 similar shops in Kentucky trying to help each community get healthy.

“We’re trying to change one community at a time,” Katrina said.

Katrina said some people drink one shake a day and have two healthy, colorful meals or others choose to drink two shakes and eat one meal.

Montravius said he and his family renovated the building from start to finish with a little help from family and friends who donated some equipment.

The whole project took about three months.

Montravius said the building was a Godsend. One day he was driving around Lexington, and after finishing up what he needed to do, he debated driving back to Frankfort or heading east.

Something told him to drive toward Winchester, he said.

Once here, he drove around, found the spot, and the rest was history.

The shop is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Katrina said she hopes to eventually host classes like some other Herbalife shops do, such as cardio drumming. She also hopes to open more shops in other communities that are looking for healthy alternatives.

“It was meant to be,” she said.