When Melody Brass walked into an Everbowl in California with her daughters a few years ago, she didn’t know the visit would change her life.
After sampling acai bowls, sandwiches and the Everwhich cookie, vegan oatmeal cookies with a smoothie base in the middle.
“[Everbowl] quickly turned into one of my favorite products,” she said.
So much so that she and her longtime partner, Carl Chandler, opened their own Everbowl in Gilbert at 1555 N. Higley Road, Suite 101, Gilbert. The signature Everbowl is a traditional bowl, but customers are leaning toward the full moon, a chocolate‑and‑vanilla blend. The “everwich” is memorable in its own right — a thick scoop of Everbowl’s signature frozen superfood base sandwiched between two chewy vegan oatmeal cookies.
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The fast-casual superfood concept is built around a simple mantra: Unevolve — a return to natural, intentional eating. The acai bowls are made to order.
“The whole branding of ‘Unevolve,’ pretty much back to basics, natural foods, really resonated with us,” she said.
Brass, a longtime Gilbert resident and mother of four collegiate‑level athletes, connected immediately with Everbowl’s back‑to‑basics philosophy.
Her background — youth sports, fitness, nutrition — made the concept feel like home.
“As a parent of kids who played sports, that was pretty much where we’d go between games. They’re filling meals, a little more nutritional than grabbing a burger or pizza,” she said.
A Valley fire captain of 18 years, Chandler supported the decision because he wanted to eat healthier and start a new chapter.
“I was kind of looking for an exit plan from the fire department,” he said. “It’s something that’s healthy for you, it’s good for you… but also the company itself and the people are really what drew us.”
The couple spent a year searching for the right location — an unexpectedly competitive process. “When we first started looking, it was a very competitive market… we’d put in for it and 20 other people would put in for the same thing,” Brass said.
They found the perfect spot: the former Clean Juice space, next to a Pilates studio.
“Honestly, it could not have been better,” she said. “We didn’t have to do a lot of work other than aesthetics, and the demographics were perfect.”
The couple invited guests to their opening on National Açaí Bowl Day, during which they handed out roughly 150 free bowls.
“We were not expecting it to be that busy,” Brass said. “But we have a great staff, and everybody kept cool and calm.”
Brass and Chandler’s commitment to young people extends beyond the menu. Most of their employees are high school students, many of whom are working their first job.
“We really wanted to hire younger kids… teach them about business, teach them how to run things,” Brass said. “I enjoy watching them succeed and be excited that they’re doing something well and right.”
Their plan includes sponsorships and partnerships with nearby schools, tapping into the same youth‑sports community that shaped Brass’ family.
With more than 100 locations nationwide, Everbowl continues to grow by leaning into its founding belief: everyone deserves to feel good about what they put in their body.
“We wanted to be part of the community here in Gilbert,” Chandler said. “This is where we want to invest our time.”