Custom Chemistry in Every Drip
Quick Shots vs. Coffee Breaks
The IV bag dangling above Kristen Smith’s shoulder reads 1,000 mL—enough fluid, she notes, to spare a client the chore of drinking 2.5 gallons of water. Tucked into a retail strip off Johnston Road, her new Prime IV Hydration & Wellness studio has replaced examination tables with reclining massage loungers, drawing a steady queue of corporate regulars.
“Most people walk around chronically under-hydrated and don’t even know it,” Smith says.
From Small-Town Ohio to South Charlotte
Smith, a native of Strasburg, Ohio, with a doctorate in physical therapy, logged eight years in Tampa before moving to Charlotte three years ago. In July 2024, she opened her first Prime IV location; Ballantyne is the second, part of a fast-growing national franchise. Between shifts, she and her husband wrangle two Bernedoodles—Grace and Caesar—who sometimes cameo on the studio’s Instagram stories.
Liter-Loaded Drips and Custom Mixes
Competitors typically start at 250 mL; Prime IV begins at a full liter and doubles the nutrient count to eight. Nothing is premixed—nurses assemble vials to order inside a pharmacist-style workspace. In Taylor Nguyen’s words,
“The needle’s out before you can pick a Netflix episode.”
Quick Shots, Faster Than Coffee
Pressed for time? Five-minute vitamin injections rank among the studio’s biggest sellers:
- B-12 Energy Boost – midday fatigue fighter
- Tri-Amino Muscle Blend – popular with lunchtime gym crowds
Clients often duck in between Johnston Road meetings and leave before their parking meter expires.
A Recliner, a Stream and a Catheter
Once the catheter replaces the needle, patrons can bend an arm, scroll a phone or nap while the chair kneads their lower back. Smith swaps the term “zero-gravity” for “recliner” after the second mention—variety matters even when you’re motionless.
Competitive Heat—and Cool Numbers
Retail IV therapy topped $3 billion in U.S. sales for 2024, according to Grand View Research. Skeptics question efficacy, but Smith points to repeat-visit data and nursing-board oversight as proof the model is sticking around.
What’s Next
Smith is scouting a third Charlotte address and tinkering with new ingredient stacks—collagen for joints tops the list. Membership pricing remains under wraps for now.
If You Go
Prime IV Hydration & Wellness – Ballantyne
16045 Johnston Rd., Suite D, Charlotte NC 28277
980-575-1013 · ballantyne@primeivhydration.com
primeivhydration.com · Instagram: @primeivballantyne
Community Partners
Rehydrate, then refuel—check out our breakfast deep-dive on Einstein Bros. Bagels, just down Conlan Circle.
Got wellness photos or a story to share? ballantyne@strollmag.com – everyone has a tale worth telling!
About the Author
Nell Thomas files stories on a steady pour-over from Einstein Bros. Bagels, 13736 Conlan Cir, 6 AM–2 PM—the turkey-sausage egg-white sandwich is her default deadline fuel. Read more of her work at Strolling Ballantyne and the regional desk The Charlotte Mercury. Categories span events, hospitality, people, pets, politics, real estate, sports, CMPD, our partners and statewide beats. Advertise with us here to join the conversation.
—Nell (currently clutching a medium vanilla-hazelnut drip and an everything-shmear)
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© 2025 Strolling Ballantyne / The Charlotte Mercury
This article, “Prime IV Bets Big on a Liter of Relief for Ballantyne,” by Nell Thomas is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.
“Prime IV Bets Big on a Liter of Relief for Ballantyne”
by Nell Thomas, Strolling Ballantyne (CC BY-ND 4.0)
