- May 12, 2025
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Through his own health struggles and recovery, Andy Mignery said he has been given the gift of exploring the world of health and wellness.
“Food is thy medicine. Medicine is thy food,” Mignery said, quoting Greek physician and philosopher Hippocrates, as he sat inside The Thrivery, the new restaurant he just opened in the Center Point development with his wife, Anna Mignery.
Before talking about his restaurant, Mignery thought back to his health concerns that started in May 2017. He had been unable to sleep and was putting on weight when Anna told him she thought something was wrong.
Both Andy and Anna were athletes at the University of Michigan. Anna started her college career in track and field as a long jumper but ultimately became a pole vaulter. Andy, who was recruited as a quarterback but transitioned to tight end, played football at Michigan from 1999 to 2003. His first year he played alongside Tom Brady.
“It taught me so much about life and competition and managing the mental side of sports, too,” Andy Mignery said.
Because of that involvement in sports, he had been taught to listen to his body when something didn’t feel right. In 2017, he didn't feel right.
He originally was diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder where the small intestine is triggered by gluten. But upon further examination, doctors told them he didn't have the condition.
Andy and Anna went to Dr. Jay Sandweiss, who they had seen through their years in Ann Arbor for sports related ailments. Sandweiss remembered a previous patient who had similar symptoms, and decided to test Andy for Cushing's syndrome. The test came out positive.
Cushing's syndrome is a hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. Symptoms include weight gain, particularly in the face and torso, thin skin and bruising, and high blood pressure.
Included in Andy Mignery's treatment was having part of his right lung removed in November 2017.
“You don't have anything in life if you don't have your health,” Andy Mignery said. “You can't be a great father, you can't be a great religious leader, you can't be a great husband, unless you feel well.”
Mignery was trying to be a good father at the time (in 2017) when his children were 9 (Devin), 7 (Madi) and 5 (Wes). He and Anna sheltered them from Andy's physical woes the best they could.
But as Andy recovered, the family converted to more of a plant- and nature-based diet. Anna Mignery said that they were lucky the children were so young so it was easier for them to change diets, not fully knowing what was going on.
“We took a deep dive and came to learn about how our food industry works,” Anna Mignery said. “The scary reality is that there's a lot of stuff in our food that we don't know about.”
Still living in Ann Arbor in 2017, they purchased a juicer. They began sharing the healthy food and drinks they were making with their neighbors as well.
“Before we even opened up our juicery, kids would be coming over, like ‘Hey, Mr. Mignery, can you make those smoothies again? Can I get some of that water that you serve?’”
They realized that they were on to something.
In 2018, they opened the first of their restaurants in Ann Arbor: Thrive Juicery. They followed with two more locations in Ann Arbor.
“Let's nourish each other and let's nourish our community,” Anna Mignery said of their goal at the time. “That's really our passion.”
Years earlier, in 2010, the Mignerys had bought a vacation home in Siesta Key and had been taking many trips to the area. Over the years they had built relationships with locals.
They moved to Lakewood Ranch in 2021 and eventually decided to open a restaurant in their new home. The Thrivery opened Feb. 17.
One reason they decided to move to Lakewood Ranch is they thought it would be a good environment for their kids.
Devin Mignery is a junior at Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School and plays quarterback for the football team, which went to the 2A state semifinals in 2024. Andy said Devin is being recruited by multiple Division 1 schools for college football.
Madi Mignery also attends Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School and plays basketball. She is a sophomore and is rated in the top 25 in the nation and has 30 Division 1 offers. Wes is in seventh grade at Nolan Middle School and likes to play basketball and football.
“I'm a big believer that sports build a lot of work ethic that you can translate into life after sports,” said Andy Mignery.
Their lifestyle carries over into their restaurant life. Andy Mignery describes The Thrivery as an upscale, fast-casual grab-and-go juicery with a full menu. Their tagline is “the power of pure.”
“It's not simply pure juice. It's for a pure purpose,” Andy Mignery said.
Anna Mignery said one of their main goals for their business is transparency. Customers can see them make their products. There are windows everywhere where food and drinks are being created. They want to show that customers are getting exactly what they see, with no added syrups or sugars.
Andy Mignery said their unpasteurized, raw cold pressed juices have a shelf life of five days, as they want it to be fresh and provide all of the benefits. Along with the cold pressed juices, they also offer complimentary ionized alkaline water.
“There's an ionizer and it polarizes the water,” Anna Mignery said. “It attaches to your free radical, to all the bad things we all like to eat and it flushes it out of your system.”
Andy Mignery described their smoothies as dense — a meal within itself. The smoothies have no ice, refined sugars or syrups. They are dairy free. The Thrive Bites, made up of peanut butter, oats, chia seeds and more are their No. 1 seller.
They also make superfood bowls, which are acai bowls with overnight oats, granola, fruit, honey and more. They also have toasts, salads and wraps.
All of their menu items are their own recipes, created through trial and error.
“Once you see how much better you can feel by making really good nutrition choices, it's something people just really gravitate to and want more of,” said Anna Mignery.
