Tutti Frutti in Artesia, CA is Now Go-Go Froyo

Fro-yo girl here. Tutti Frutti in Artesia, California has a new look and a new name, Go-Go Froyo. I believe the ownership hasn’t changed because they still mention that they’ve been open since 2012 on the new website and they accept the old TF Artesia frequent buyer cards and gift cards. The owners explained why they changed names on their website: “Why the name change? Simply....freedom of choice, freedom to design, freedom to decide the end of High Fructose Corn Syrup frozen yogurt whenever we choose. Why play along to a middle man inflating supplies cost when they provide no artistic creation or input from every day real life workers. When franchisees leave, the brand is all but a dying and fading memory.”

The last Tutti Frutti Artesia reviews were posted in July 2023 and the first Go-Go Froyo review was posted in August 2023. I visited Tutti Frutti Artesia in 2021 and I remember at that time they had a sign that said that they are independently owned and not related to any other Tutti Frutti shop. By that time, Tutti Frutti was no longer providing support to its franchisees.

When I visited Go-Go Froyo, the employee said that the name and décor had changed but everything else was the same as before. It’s still self-serve and the soft serve machines are the same. I liked how they had quite a few tart froyo flavors and tons of toppings, including big brownies, cream puffs, and Hello Panda cookies.

I also saw a case for waffle taco shells, waffle bowls, and waffle nachos for the build-your-own froyo taco and nachos option, but the case was empty. Froyo and toppings are $0.65/oz.

Two other Tutti Frutti locations changed names in 2023. Tutti Frutti, San Carlos is now called Toot Sweet Frozen Yogurt and Tutti Frutti Long Beach is now Frozen Oasis.

* Go-Go Froyo: 11855 Artesia Blvd Artesia, CA 90701

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Froyology Takes Over the Tutti Frutti Montebello Space

 

Fro-yo girl here. Tutti Frutti Montebello closed sometime during the pandemic without any announcement. In 2021, the equipment and signs were still there, but they had been closed for months.

Three months ago, a new froyo shop called Froyology took over. The interior looks the same though they took down the Tutti Frutti signs. The décor and the soft serve machines are the same. They had ten self-serve flavors and one machine that wasn’t being used, with toppings, for $0.99 an ounce.

The Yogurtland in the same mall is also $0.99 an ounce. I feel bad for Montebello residents. Froyology and Yogurtland at The Shops at Montebello are the only froyo shops left, and they’re overpriced.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* FROYOLOGY: 2134 Montebello Town Ctr Montebello, CA 90640

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Painful California Froyo Shop Closures in 2023

Yogurtland on Sunset Blvd, Hollywood

 

Fro-yo girl here. Before the year ends, I’d like to recognize a few froyo shops that closed this year that deserve a few words.

Ace Frozen Yogurt, 160 E Duarte Rd, Ste E, Arcadia, CA 91006

Ace Frozen Yogurt was the oldest remaining froyo shop in San Gabriel Valley. The counter-serve shop opened in 1986. Ace Frozen Yogurt. Ace Frozen Yogurt opened in 1986. The counter-serve froyo shop served Dannon YoCream froyo, smoothies, shaved ice, and more. The new owners, 626 Hospitality Group, kept the soft serve machines. They make top-notch soft serve ice cream with LA-inspired flavors from scratch.

Loving Cup, 2356 Polk St., San Francisco, CA 94109

Loving Cup closed the original location in Russian Hill earlier this summer. The shop opened in late 2008, specializing in hand-churned mix-in style froyo and rice pudding. Customers selected a size, a base (chocolate, vanilla or non-dairy), and mix-ins. The associate would hand churn everything together using a machine.

Menchie’s, 2901 Ocean Park Blvd, Ste 107, Santa Monica, CA 90405

The Menchie’s on Ocean Park Blvd. in Santa Monica has had multiple owners. It was sold again this year and converted into The Yogurt Shoppe. Menchie’s Ocean Park Courtyard first opened in 2011, so it was 12 years old when it closed.

Menchie’s, 732 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403

Menchie’s opened on Montana Ave. in 2010 and was the scene of countless celebrity froyo sightings since opening across the street from TCBY. This was the first Menchie’s in Santa Monica.

Yogurt Stop, 8803 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Yogurt Stop closed after fifteen years because the landlord would not renew the lease. They baked some of their toppings and had the cutest names for their froyo flavors. They were open late, till 2 AM on some nights.

Yogurtland, 5541 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

This Yogurtland first opened in 2007. There were two things that I really liked about it. First, you could see Yogurtland and the Hollywood sign together from the Target across the street. Second, there was a parking lot.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

2023 California Froyo Shop Openings & Closings

iCream showroom, Los Angeles 

Yogurt Stop, West Hollywood

Fro-yo girl here. I thought there would be more froyo shop openings this year, since COVID-19 isn't as much of a concern. However, there were fewer new froyo shops this year than in 2022 and 2021. Also, I think it's the first time that the number of new non-froyo shops serving froyo exceeded the number of new froyo shops, driven by the explosive growth of Nick the Greek.

In 2023, I found 41 new places that serve soft-serve froyo: 15 new froyo shops, 1 froyo truck, 19 non-froyo shops that serve froyo, and 4 froyo vending machine installations. In 2022, I found 46 new places that serve froyo: 18 new froyo shops (including two froyo trucks), 20 non-froyo shops, and 8 froyo vending machines. There were even more new froyo shops in 2021, fifteen, compared to 2023.

Six of the 2023 new froyo shop and truck openings were part of national froyo chains. Eight of twelve new froyo shop and truck openings were in Southern California, and four in Northern California.  

My goal is to track any new venue that serves froyo in soft serve form, including restaurants, convenience stores, pop-ups, froyo trucks, froyo trailers, vending machines, amusement parks, stadiums, etc. It's easier to track openings, since they're usually announced, but many places close quietly.

Businesses are listed in alphabetical order with the location.

New Froyo Shops and Trucks

• Beary Bliss, Big Bear Lake
• Frosty Peaks, Ridgecrest
• Froyology, Montebello
• The Frozone, Roseville
• Golden Spoon, Newport Beach
• LOL Yogurt, Atascadero
• Menchie’s, Burbank (moved)
• Menchie’s, Natomas, Sacramento
• Moxie's, Windsor (froyo truck)
• Pinkberry, Sacramento
• Prive La Yogurt, Roseville
• YOBA, Ontario
• The Yogurt Shoppe, Santa Monica (took over Menchie’s)
• Yogurt Bear, Santa Ana
• Yogurtland, Hastings Ranch, East Pasadena
• Yogurtland, Riverside
• Yogurtland, Palmdale (East)

Not a Froyo Shop but Serves Froyo

• IKEA, San Francisco
• Kalamaki Greek, Los Angeles (not new but added Greek froyo in November)
• Moo & Brew, Placerville
• Mrs. Chips Cookies, Sherman Oaks
• Nick the Greek, Hayward
• Nick the Greek, San Leandro
• Nick the Greek, Riverbank
• Nick the Greek, Belmont Shore, Long Beach
• Nick the Greek, San Luis Obispo
• Nick the Greek, West Hollywood
• Nick the Greek, Visalia
• Nick the Greek, San Dimas
• Nick the Greek, La Mirada
• Nick the Greek, Marina Del Rey
• Nick the Greek, Danville
• Nick the Greek, Monterey
• Pita GR, Brea
• Souvla, Larkspur
• Wafflecomb, Santa Clarita (not new but added self-serve froyo)
• Valley Swirl, Los Angeles

Froyo Vending Machines

• iCream showroom, Pinkberry, Los Angeles
• iCream, Pinkberry, Kidtopia, Fremont
• iCream, Pinkberry, San Francisco
• iCream, Pinkberry, Koreatown, Los Angeles

I didn't count rebranded froyo businesses or ones that changed ownership as new froyo businesses, but I tried to track both.

New Ownership of Froyo Shop

• Honeymoon Frozen Yogurt, Sebastopol
• Menchie’s, Pico Rivera
• Pinkberry, Marina Del Rey
• Pinkberry, Beverly Hills
• Yogurtland, Claremont

Froyo Shop Name Change

• Orange Tree, San Bruno, new name: San Froyo
• Sweetfrog, Lancaster, new name: Sweet Bunnies
• Tutti Frutti, San Carlos, new name: Toot Sweet Frozen Yogurt
• Tutti Frutti, Long Beach, new name: Frozen Oasis
• Tutti Frutti, Artesia, new name: Go-Go Froyo
• Tutti Frutti Hayward, new name: Fruity Froyo
• Tutti Frutti San Jose (Eastridge), new name: Fruity Froyo
• Yum Yum Yogurt, Kingsburg, new name: The Froyo Co.

As for froyo shop closings, I found 22 this year or nineteen if you consider the non-froyo shops that served froyo and closed. Last year, I found twenty-one froyo shop and non-froyo shop closings. Three Menchie's locations closed and eight Yogurtland locations closed in 2023. Most of the froyo shops that closed were older (over 10 years old) shops. Ace Frozen Yogurt in Arcadia was over 30 years old. Two of the froyo shops that closed were replaced by other froyo shops.

Froyo Shop Closings

• Ace Frozen Yogurt, Arcadia
• Chill, Studio City
• Dolci Mango, Chula Vista
• Joghurt, Chino
• Joy Sedona, Lake Balboa
• Loving Cup, Russian Hill, San Francisco
• Menchie’s, Ocean Park, Santa Monica (now The Yogurt Shoppe)
• Menchie’s, Montana Ave, Santa Monica
• Menchie’s, Newport Beach (now Golden Spoon)
• Spoonful Yogurt Café, Riverside
• Sweetfrog, Palmdale
• Yogurtland, Brentwood, Los Angeles
• Yogurtland, Hollywood, Los Angeles
• Yogurtland, Pinole
• Yogurtland, Boyle Heights, Los Angeles
• Yogurtland, Ladera Heights, Los Angeles
• Yogurtland, Northwood, Irvine
• Yogurtland, Oceanside
• Yogurtland, Costa Mesa, 17th St.
• Yogurt Shack, Concord
• Yogurt Stop, West Hollywood
• Yummy Spoon Yogurt, Chula Vista

Closings, Not a Froyo Shop 

• Health Habit, Valley Springs
• Mrs. Chips Cookies, Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles
• Sweet Retreat, Morgan Hill

Not Closed, No Longer Serving Froyo

• The Kona Ice Shop, Winters

More froyo is on the way. I found 28 places listed as opening soon, with Nick the Greek accounting for 23 of these future locations.

Future Places Serving Froyo

• Easy Breezy, Walnut Creek
• Cuppa Yo, Dublin
• Menchie’s, Cameron Park
• Menchie's, Clovis
• Nick the Greek, Berkeley
• Nick the Greek, Hollister
• Nick the Greek, Tracy
• Nick the Greek, Oakland
• Nick the Greek, Sonoma
• Nick the Greek, Stockton
• Nick the Greek, Palo Alto
• Nick the Greek, Folsom
• Nick the Greek, Mountain View
• Nick the Greek, Marin
• Nick the Greek, Salinas
• Nick the Greek, Natomas
• Nick the Greek, Sacramento
• Nick the Greek, San Francisco, 4 locations
• Nick the Greek, Santa Barbara
• Nick the Greek, Pinole
• Nick the Greek, Mill Valley
• Nick the Greek, Petaluma
• Nick the Greek, Natomas
• Nick the Greek, Stockton
• Pinkberry, Natomas
• Pinkberry, Manteca
• Pinkberry, John Wayne Airport, Santa Ana
• Pinkberry, Fremont
• Yoga-urt, Granada Hills, Los Angeles

I’ll keep updating this post if I find out about other 2023 froyo shop openings and closings. Did I miss any openings or closings? Let me know.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.