2025 South Dakota Small Business Administration Veteran Owned Small Business of the Year award - Kelli Ewert

Woman dressed in a blue polo top holding a white cup in a cafe environment

Kelli graduated from Texas Christian University in 1997 on an ARMY ROTC scholarship and served in the Army Nurse Corps from 1997-2005. Kelli has been a Registered Nurse for nearly 30 years. Kelli is an active member in the Northern Black Hills SD community by helping care for the community as an RN and being an active business owner and volunteer in the community.

Kelli received a 2019 SBA Loan for Tropical Smoothie Cafe $450,000, a 2024 SBA refinance for Tropical Smoothie Cafe $300,000, and utilized SDCEO and for assistance in starting, maintaining Tropical Smoothie Café.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a franchise that serves the entire Northern Black Hills of South Dakota (7+ communities) and started four months before Covid 19 pandemic began, but the business has survived and thrived in the community. The business started a reading program initiative with all Northern Hills elementary schools. Tropical Smoothie sponsors numerous events including VFW awards for local students, school sports events, business events and several student-of-the-month awards for local students. The business offers a casual dining cafe with sit down service, drive thru, third party ordering and catering services.

Tropical Smoothie is a vital resource for the local community. It donates roughly $35,000 per year in the form of sponsorships for events, awards/ incentives for students in the Northern Black Hills, hosts local get togethers at the cafe for various organizations). Tropical Smoothie received an award in 2024 as the Spirit of Entrepreneurship for the City of Spearfish for the support of community and local charities and endeavors. They provide discounts every day of the year for first responders, military veterans and active duty soldiers as well as for senior citizens. They also started a reading program in 2019 for all Northern Hills areas elementary and middle schools that teachers use to reward their students for meeting classroom and reading goals as well as for character and hard work.

This article does not constitute or imply an endorsement by the SBA of any opinions, products, or services of any private individual or entity.