Story
Who is Ruthie?
Ruthie’s Juice Cafe is a tribute to Ruth Sherwood, the matriarch of the Sherwood family, whose deep roots in Charlestown and her Caribbean heritage shaped the warmth and spirit of the shop. Born in Haiti, Ruth’s family (where she was 1 of 9 children) moved to Main Street in Charlestown when she was just a young girl. She grew up to be a vibrant cheerleader at Charlestown High and later raised her four sons on Sullivan Street. For over 40 years she was a constant presence in the back pew at St. John’s Episcopal Church and shared coffee with her sisters regularly at Papa Gino’s.
Ruth’s heritage was as diverse as the town she loved. Her grandfather grew up in Virginia before moving to Tennessee, where her father was born. Ruth’s mother was from St. Thomas, with roots reaching back to St. Barts. Her parents met in St.Thomas, where her father was stationed with the Navy, and quickly became inseparable.
Ruth met her husband at St. John’s church when they were just kids, and although life and travels took them apart, she eventually returned to Charlestown to marry her childhood friend turned Navy man who served in Guam and Hawaii during World War II.
Whether attending Sunday service or spending weekends at Wollaston Beach, Ruth’s love for family and community was at the heart of everything she did.
Her legacy, now honored through Ruthie’s, by her granddaughters’ family (Lyndsey, Nick & Nora), who also call Charlestown home, combines the heart of Charlestown with the tropical warmth of Ruth’s Caribbean roots. Ruthie’s spirit lives on in every aspect of the shop, from its location in the Navy Yard, to its welcoming atmosphere, to the cherished memories of conversation across a table with loved ones.
