Painful Froyo Shop Closures of 2018

Fro-yo girl here. It's a fact of life that many frozen yogurt shops close every year. Some closures are much more painful than others. This is my chance to remember some of my favorite shops that closed in 2018.

* Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt, Irvine, CA: I've never been a big fan of Golden Spoon, but the owners of this location were so nice and they were doing everything right. The shop was spotless, the employees friendly, and the yogurt servings were generous.

* Pinkberry Original Farmers Market, Los Angeles, CA: This location near the movie studios and Hollywood was the site of many celebrity froyo sightings.

* Pinkberry, The Americana at Brand, Glendale, CA: This was the best Pinkberry location in San Fernando and San Gabriel Valley. The owner really cared about froyo quality. They used to have Pinkberry test flavors from time to time. I went there for the 10th Anniversary Pinkberry event. I think they must have lost their lease? They just turned 10 this year. A boring medical practice took over the location.

* Pinkberry, Santana Row, San Jose, CA: This was the first Pinkberry in the Bay Area. It turned 10, which meant the lease was up, and they closed down. I remember going to the grand opening party at night, with Yelper Ann L. According to the owner, Santana Row refused to extend the lease. 

* Yogurtland Palo Alto, CA: It's true that this Yogurtland was never the same after the ownership change, but I still have fond memories of Yogurtland Palo Alto.

* Yummy Yogurt (Rolling Hills Estates): I never made it there (I've never been to Rolling Hills Estates), but Yummy Yogurt had a 34 year run. The outpouring of love before it closed reached my ears.

While it's sad to hear that Penguin's Frozen Yogurt in La Canada Flintridge, CA and Yogurt Stop in Menlo Park, CA closed this year, after 30 and 31 years in business, respectively, I didn't enjoy my frozen yogurt at either place.

Farewell, old friends. You are missed.

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.

Former Pinkberry Location at the Original Farmers Market to Be Replaced by Grocers’ Gateway

Fro-yo girl here. I haven’t been to the Original Farmers Market in Los Angeles in about a year and I missed the fact that Pinkberry closed in late January 2018. Sad. The Original Farmers Market has changed so much lately, though a few oldies are still there. Bob’s Coffee and Doughnuts better not close. Gill’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor, which had frozen yogurt, closed last year after 80 years at the market. It’s been replaced with a new ice cream shop called Local Ice. They had a soft serve machine but it was being used for soft serve ice cream.

The area where Pinkberry was is hidden by a tent or something. That section is being remodeled. The new Grocers’ Gateway section will open this fall with “exciting artisan grocery merchants and a fresh yet retro exterior look." Construction of the new section began in February. There was a fire at the Little Spain restaurant a few years ago in that area, so the idea had long been in the works to remodel that area.

I took a picture of where Pinkberry used to be. You can still get froyo at the Original Farmers Market at Bennett’s. Or if you walk over to the Grove, you can get froyo at Haagen Dazs and Pressed Freeze from Pressed Juicery.

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

* PINKBERRY FARMERS MARKET: 6333 W 3rd St. #126, Los Angeles, CA 90036

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.