2024 California Froyo Shop Openings and Closings

Go Greek, Studio City

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve been tracking froyo shop openings and closings all year. I found 30 new froyo shops and shops that aren’t primarily froyo shops but serve froyo in 2024. This is considerably less than last year, when I found 41 new places for froyo. In 2022, I found 46 new places that serve froyo. However, I always find more new froyo shops after publishing this post, so the number will most likely increase. 

Of the 30 new places for froyo in 2024, 20 are froyo shops, two are mobile froyo units, and seven are non-froyo shops that offer soft serve froyo. Most of the new shops are not part of a large franchise. Last year’s growth was driven by Nick the Greek, which opened 11 new branches in California. This year, Nick the Greek opened seven new branches in California.

I found fourteen froyo shop closings and six ownership changes. Two closings resulted in a name change and a replacement with another froyo shop.

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 noted.

Openings

• Aggie Yogurt, Davis
• Cuppa Yo, Dublin
• Easy Breezy, Walnut Creek
• Go Greek Yogurt, Studio City
• Golden Spoon, Tustin
• Golden Spoon, Irvine
• Golden Spoon, Oceanside
• Got Scoopz, Livermore
• Kulfi Cone, Yuba City (mobile trailer)
• Lol Yogurt, Santa Maria
• Rainbow Froyo, Benicia
• Rainbow Frozen Yogurt, Moreno Valley
• Spoon and Cone, West Hollywood
• Supermoms to Go, Ceres (froyo trailer)
• Top A Lot, Gilroy
• Tutti Frutti, Montebello
• Yoberries, Fresno
• Yoga-urt, Granada Hills, Los Angeles
• Yogurt Lounge, Murrieta
• Yogurt Mill, second truck
• Yogurtland, Santa Monica
• Yokli Yogurt, Manteca
• Yum Yum Yogurt is back in Kingsburg, California. It was Yum Yum Yogurt, then it was The Froyo Co, and now it’s Yum Yum Yogurt again

Not a Froyo Shop but Serves Froyo

• Nick the Greek, Berkeley
• Nick the Greek, Santa Barbara
• Nick the Greek, Pinole
• Nick the Greek, Greenbrae
• Nick the Greek, Yorba Linda
• Nick the Greek, Santa Maria
• Nick the Greek, San Mateo

Closings

• Apizza & Loving Cup, San Francisco (Fillmore)
• Culture Shock, Grass Valley
• The Froyo Co, Kingsburg
• Froyology, Montebello
• Golden Spoon, Upland
• Got Scoopz, Livermore
• iYogurt, Brentwood
• Kalamaki, Los Angeles
• Menchie's, Thousand Oaks
• Pinkberry, Redlands
• Sweetie’s Ice Cream Shop, Santa Barbara
• The Sweet Stuff, Buellton
• Yogurt Farms, Santa Rosa
• Yogurtland, Santa Monica

New ownership

• CoCo Swirl, Pleasant Hill
• Heavenly Yogurt, San Diego
• Menchie’s, San Fernando
• Menchie’s Rancho San Diego, El Cajon
• Spoons Frozen Yogurt, Porterville
• Tiger’s Yogurt, Stockton

Future Shops

• Golden Spoon, Laguna Beach
• Menchie’s, Manteca
• Menchie’s, Cameron Park
• Menchie’s, Clovis
• Menchie’s, Madera
• Nick the Greek, Palo Alto
• Nick the Greek, Ceres
• Pinkberry, Roseville

Since I find out about openings and closings after publishing my post, I’ll keep updating this post. 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.

Kalamaki Greek LA Opens in Los Angeles and Adds Greek Froyo

Fro-yo girl here. Kalamaki Greek LA is a new Greek street food café in Los Angeles that started as a food truck in 2018. A brick & mortar restaurant opened last September in the Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles (Central LA). The menu includes gyros, skewers, salads, sides, Greek coffee, and Greek yogurt smoothies. In November 2023, they added Greek froyo to the café (but not to the food truck).

The owner of Kalamaki, Antonios Karagiannakis, is from Crete and he made Greek frozen yogurt when Greek froyo became huge in Greece. Then he was recruited to make Greek fresh and frozen yogurt for Go Greek in Beverly Hills.

Kalamaki specializes in authentic Greek street food made with Greek olive oil, Greek feta, etc. Choose from appetizers, skewers (chicken or pork), falafel, Greek salad, and gyro sandwiches (beef/lamb, beef, chicken or pork gyros). It’s not froyo but the Greek salad with gyros was excellent – very fresh ingredients, lots of feta, very flavorful.

I was more than a little disappointed that they were cleaning their froyo machines during the afternoon of my visit. I waited two hours and they only had one froyo flavor available. 

On my second visit, they had all four flavors available.

Froyo flavors:

• Mango
• Plain: rich, smooth, tangy, lots of flavor, softer and creamier 
• Chocolate
• Honey tahini: similar to the plain froyo only with the distinct taste of tahini (yellow sesame)

A small froyo is $11 with a choice of two toppings, while a large is $13 with three toppings. Greek fruit preserves, a hot dark chocolate crust, and hot Nutella crust are extra. The toppings looked healthier: hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, popping boba, fresh fruit, nuts, mochi, granola, coconut, sprinkles, etc.

It’s expensive but the froyo quality and taste are there.

Order at the counter and get a number. They’ll bring the food to your table. The café’s décor is reminiscent of Greece. The neon sign in front and the awning both say frozen yogurt (yay!)

They are understaffed at the moment, so expect a long wait.

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

* KALAMAKI GREEK LA: 344 S La Brea Ave, 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.

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.

Fro-yo Girl Speaks 15th Blogiversary, October 20

 

Fro-yo girl here. Fro-yo Girl Speaks turns fifteen today. The blogiversary is the time of year that I reflect on the previous year.

I noticed that froyo shop grand openings, if they occur at all, have been toned down. I’ve been to one official froyo shop grand opening this year, Yogurtland in East Pasadena. The froyo was discounted that day ($0.30/oz), but a few years ago they would have had free froyo during the grand opening.

Several shops changed hands or reopened after remodeling, including Menchie’s in Burbank (closed for remodeling), The Yogurt Shoppe (which took over the Menchie’s location in Santa Monica, Golden Spoon (which took over the Menchie’s location in Newport Beach), and Pinkberry in Beverly Hills (under new ownership).

Froyo vending machines continue to be installed. The iCream showroom in Los Angeles has multiple froyo vending machines, as well as acai and gelato vending machines.

The roster of new froyo products sold in supermarkets this year includes Jolly Llama Half-Dipped Yogurt Bars, Enlightened Greek Yogurt pints, Enlightened Greek Yogurt bars, Gelatys yogurt gelato bars, Cremily French Frozen Yogurt pints, and Cremily French Frozen Yogurt bars. Noosa also released new frozen yoghurt gelato flavors. The theme of most of these new products is lower sugar and being Keto friendly.

This year I also saw a greater number of new froyo spoon designs, stickers, and limited edition cup designs. Prices continue to inch upwards, approaching nearly $0.70 cents an ounce in the Los Angeles area.

I finally tried fried thick yogurt cubes at L2 Tea Club in San Gabriel. The fried yogurt cubes trend started in China and is slowly spreading to other countries like the US, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia.

I spotted froyo at some fancier restaurants too. Checker Hall in Highland Park added Greek froyo for the summer menu. Kato, a Michelin star restaurant at The Row in downtown LA that specializes in Taiwanese cuisine, has been serving froyo as part of the tasting menu for years. Froyo isn’t always on the menu, unfortunately.

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.

Grand Opening Celebration at Yogurtland East Pasadena

Fro-yo girl here. Yogurtland had a soft opening in East Pasadena in late August and now they’re going to have a grand opening celebration on Saturday, October 7.

On October 7, they’re rolling back the price of froyo and toppings to the price Yogurtland first charged, $0.30/oz. The special price will be available all day on October 7. DJ Vicious Lee will also be there from 11 AM – 2 PM.

This is a smaller location with 12 self-serve froyo flavors and toppings for $0.69/oz. The green square tile wall has been replaced with a white tile wall. They also have a neon sign that says Share Love, Joy & Hope.

* YOGURTLAND: 259 Sierra Madre Villa Ave., Unit 103, Pasadena, CA 91107

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.

Loving Cup Quietly Closes OG Location in Russian Hill, San Francisco

Fro-yo girl here. Loving Cup closed the original location in Russian Hill earlier this summer. No announcement was made, so I’m not sure exactly when it closed. The last reviews were written in June 2023. I hadn’t visited that location for many years since the other ones were more convenient.

Loving Cup opened 2356 Polk St. in late 2008, back when the tart froyo craze had taken over San Francisco. Loving Cup offered something different from other froyo shops because the froyo was mix-in style. Customers selected a size, a base (chocolate, vanilla or non-dairy), and mix-ins. The associate would hand churn everything together using a machine. They also sold rice pudding.

In late 2018, the owners of La Boulangerie acquired Loving Cup. As fans of Loving Cup, Pascal Rigo and Nicolas Bernadi hoped to open 100 locations in a few years. They also talked about adding Loving Cup to a few La Boulangerie locations.

As of September 2023, there are three Loving Cup locations, two in San Francisco (608 Divisadero St, 2201 Union St.) and one in Marin County. Apizza in San Francisco also serves Loving Cup. I haven’t heard anything about Loving Cup in La Boulangerie since 2018. Loving Cup has gone quiet as well. Their last Facebook post was in April 2020 and the last Instagram post in May 2021.

La Boulangerie has five remaining locations. The location in San Francisco's FiDi district that served Loving Cup has closed in 2020 or 2021.

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.

Yogurt Stop To Close After 15 Years in West Hollywood

Fro-yo girl here. The owners of Yogurt Stop in West Hollywood announced that the shop will close on October 2, after fifteen years. They wrote the following on Instagram, “THANK YOU for 15 unbelievable and amazing years!!! When we opened January 2nd, 2009, YOU made us a healthy business. For the past 15 years, YOU kept us healthy. Because of YOU, we are able to close our doors a healthy business. Our last day of operation will be October 2nd, 2023. Again, thank you for all your support throughout the years. We’ve made many friends and are so grateful. We couldn’t have done it without you. We love you so much! XXX, Marta & Shoshana (and Elf).”

The shop is closing because the landlord chose not to renew the lease and would not give the owners the option to sell and extend the lease to a potential buyer of the business. The owners have had multiple issues with the landlord over the years. Back in 2019, an attorney for the landlords sent the Yogurt Stop owners a Cease-and-Desist letter because Yogurt Stop was selling items other than yogurt. When the owners of Yogurt Stop found a viable buyer, the landlords declined the buyer. It was known several years ago that Yogurt Stop would not be able to renew the lease. They even posted a sign about it at the shop.

It’s been many years since my last visit to Yogurt Stop because it’s nearly impossible to find parking in West Hollywood. I don’t even want to try to find parking most of the time. But I had to visit one last time and I was actually able to find parking a few blocks away in a residential neighborhood. It looked like I remembered only with a lot more snacks for sale. They had some interesting toppings like a UK candy and popcorn drizzled with chocolate. I got a cup of Peanut Butter Princess froyo with peanut butter chips.

Back in 2011, I wrote, “* YOGURT STOP (8803 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA): the fiercest fro-yo shop I've ever been to - filled with attitude. The fro-yo flavors have the best names, like I'm Coming Out Cake Batter, Lezbionic Tonic, and Milk My Harvey Chocolate. And they have plenty of best of fro-yo awards too. The toppings bins are overflowing and the fro-yo tastes great. They also encourage sampling unlike some self-serve fro-yo places. Fun!”

The Yogurt Stop owners describe the concept: “Yogurt Stop built itself on the simple concept of offering superior frozen yogurt, delicious toppings, including many baked in-house and locally sourced fresh fruit and other frozen delights in a fun-filled chilled-out environment. We set out to create not only a self-serve frozen yogurt shop, but an experience where friends, family, co-workers and citizens of the world could come together in a community setting. Yogurt Stop prides itself in providing each guest with prompt, professional, friendly and courteous service.”

There is a for lease sign on the exterior of the shop.

* YOGURT STOP: 8803 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

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.

Yogurtland Opens in Hastings Ranch/East Pasadena

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve been keeping a close eye on the new Yogurtland in East Pasadena/Hastings Ranch and after a few false alarms (e.g., Google reported the shop was open when it hadn’t opened yet), I can report that it is now OPEN! 

I asked about a grand opening event and was told that they wouldn’t be having one. There was a free froyo giveaway on August 19 while they were training employees.

This is a smaller location with 12 self-serve froyo flavors and toppings for $0.69/oz. I was happy to see the gourmet sauces, including chocolate shell. The green square tile wall has been replaced with a white tile wall. They also have a neon sign that says Share Love, Joy & Hope.

Yogurtland has another location in Pasadena on Lake Ave. There was one in Old Town Pasadena that closed a few years ago.

* YOGURTLAND: 259 Sierra Madre Villa Ave., Unit 103, Pasadena, CA 91107

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.

Yogurtland To Open on August 31 in East Pasadena/Hastings Ranch

 

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve been keeping a close eye on the new Yogurtland in East Pasadena/Hastings Ranch. The Google listing incorrectly said it was open when it hadn’t opened yet. Now Google says the shop will open on Thursday, August 31. We’ll see if it’s true.

* YOGURTLAND: 259 Sierra Madre Villa Ave., Unit 103, Pasadena, CA 91107

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.

Menchie’s Closes on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica

Fro-yo girl here. I’m not surprised to hear that Menchie’s on Montana in Santa Monica has closed. In 2021, it was only open Friday – Sunday, and I wondered how long it could continue with such limited hours. The shop was listed for sale for a long time.

Menchie’s on Montana Ave. opened in 2010 and was the scene of many celebrity sightings (e.g., Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner with their kids, John Travolta). It was the first Menchie’s in Santa Monica.

Menchie’s in Ocean Park in Santa Monica closed earlier this year and was purchased by the Yogurt Shoppe. The Yogurt Shoppe took over that space.

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

* MENCHIE’S: 732 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403

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.

Valley Swirl Opens Second Shop in Pico-Robertson Area of Los Angeles

Fro-yo girl here. Valley Swirl opened a second branch in the Pico-Robertson part of Los Angeles on Friday, July 7. The menu is the same as their La Brea location. It's RCC Kosher (everything is kosher). They have soft serve, mix-in style hand-crafted swirls, puffle waffles, waffle nachos, milkshakes, hand-crafted swirls (with toppings mixed in), boba drinks, smoothies, frappes, acai bowls, and hot beverages.

For the mix-in style, you choose the base, mix-ins and sauce. A hand-crafted swirl starts at $8.20 and includes two mix-ins and a sauce.

Bases: Chocolate, Vanilla, Non-Dairy Vanilla, Frozen Yogurt, Sugar Free Vanilla

Add-ins: Fruit, nuts, cookies, sauces, cookie dough, cotton candy, sprinkles, etc. Some of the toppings are marked as premium.

The vanilla froyo was very rich, smooth, and creamy. It reminded me of frozen custard. It was on the sweeter side but still indulgent and tasty.

The place looks like an ice cream stand with a cute painted patio area on the side. You order from the window and they'll call your name when your order is ready.

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

* VALLEY SWIRL: 9516 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90035

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.

History of Yogurt Creations, Largest Froyo Chain Central Coast of California

 

Yogurt Creations, Atascadero, 2009

Fro-yo girl here. John Bolton opened the first Yogurt Creations in Atascadero in 2003. At the time, it may have been the only froyo shop in Atascadero, a smaller Central Coast city with a population under 30,000, though there were froyo shops in San Luis Obispo and other cities along the Central Coast of California. The next Yogurt Creations opened in Arroyo Grande, followed by San Luis Obispo. By 2014, there were seven Yogurt Creations branches along the Central Coast. 

Ownership changed in late 2019 and then again in January 2020. The new owners also purchased Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt in Oxnard, California and converted it into a Yogurt Creations. Yogurt Creations opened in Oxnard in late 2020 and closed later in 2020. They also announced plans to open in Pismo Beach, though I don’t think that location ever opened.

The SBA PPP loan of $191,450.00 in January 2021 kept Yogurt Creations afloat for a few months. In 2021, four locations closed. The last store, Santa Maria, closed in January 2022. The Santa Maria store was in the news because when it closed, the owners still owed employees outstanding wages. This was probably the case at other locations, e.g., Arroyo Grande, where the owners were evicted.

I remember visiting the Atascadero, downtown SLO, Arroyo Grande, Santa Maria, and Paso Robles locations. 

Yogurt Creations Locations (listed by opening date, from oldest to newest)

• Atascadero, 7341 El Camino Real, was the original location. The store opened in 2003 and closed 2021.
• Arroyo Grande, 1540 E Grand Ave, opened in 2008. The owners were evicted in September 2021.
• San Luis Obispo, 1075 Court St # 130, opened in the downtown area in 2008 and closed in 2017.
• Santa Maria, 2415 S Broadway, opened in 2008 and closed in January 2022. There was a ribbon cutting ceremony in January 2020 when ownership changed. 
• Paso Robles, 104 Niblick Rd, opened in 2010 and closed in 2021. 
• Lompoc, 1620 N H St, opened in 2011 and closed in 2021.
• San Luis Obispo at Cal Poly, 1 Grand Ave Bldg 65, RM 121, opened in 2013 on campus in the Julian A. McPhee University Union I’m not sure when it closed. 
• A mobile unit (trailer) may have opened in 2019 and was based in Atascadero.
• Oxnard, 2819 Saviers Rd, took over the Tutti Frutti space during 2020. Tutti Frutti closed due to the coronavirus. Yogurt Creations was only open for a few months in 2020 before closing for good.
• Pismo Beach was announced but never opened

Santa Maria and Lompoc no longer have any froyo shops. RIP, Yogurt Creations.

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.

Yogurtland Coming Soon to East Pasadena

Fro-yo girl here. This one caught me by surprise; Yogurtland is opening in East Pasadena. The address is 259 Sierra Madre Villa Ave., Unit 103, Pasadena, CA 91107. It’s right next to Pasadena Sandwich Company and across the street from Bed Bath and Beyond (which is closing). The Yogurtland sign is up! The windows are covered.

There is a Yogurtland in Pasadena on Lake Ave. and there was one in Old Town Pasadena on Colorado Blvd. 

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.

Yogurtland on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood Has Closed

 

view of Yogurtland Hollywood from Target, before it closed

Yogurtland Hollywood

Yogurtland Hollywood sign removed

Fro-yo girl here. I guess I haven’t been to this part of Hollywood for a few months. The Yogurtland on Sunset closed. The last day was January 27, 2023. I visited that location a few times. Parking wasn’t easy to find but they did have a shared lot. I remember it was temporarily closed for repairs (pipe burst?) maybe two years ago? A few businesses in that shopping center were affected.

Looking at the most recent reviews, it sounds like the shop went downhill and was barely offering any froyo flavors before they closed. Most of the reviews written in 2020 were negative.

They posted the following message on their Facebook page on 2/1/23, “Thanks for all the love and support at our Whittier store throughout the years! Unfortunately, we have permanently closed our doors as of 1/27/23. It was a pleasure to serve you!”

Yogurtland Whittier store closed in December 2022, so they must be referring to the Hollywood Sunset location.

Yogurtland Hollywood opened in 2007. The froyo was $0.30/oz then! While the location has closed and the froyo machines have been removed, it still has the froyo wall and the counter inside. When I tried the peer inside, a security guard opened the door and said potential buyers were looking at the space. The Yogurtland signs are gone though. There was a sign on the door

I liked to look at Yogurtland location from the Target store that’s across the street. You can see Yogurtland, the Hollywood Hills, and the Hollywood sign from there.

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

* YOGURTLAND, 5541 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

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.

The Yogurt Shoppe Opens in Santa Monica, CA

 

Fro-yo girl here. The Menchie’s in Santa Monica at 2091 Ocean Park Blvd. was listed for sale for over a year. It was closed for a long time during the pandemic (I thought it had closed for good) but it finally reopened with a new owner. And now The Yogurt Shoppe has moved in. This is the third location for The Yogurt Shoppe; the first opened in Pacific Palisades and the second in Brentwood.

I was surprised to see that the place not only still looked like Menchie’s but still served mostly Menchie’s froyo. The Yogurt Shoppe just opened yesterday and still has Menchie's machines, cups, spoons, froyo, toppings, signs, etc. They will remodel/renovate but it hasn't happened yet.

It's self-serve and $0.79/oz. There are 14 flavors a day, sauces, and toppings (e.g., fruit, popping boba, candy, nuts, marshmallows, sprinkles, cookies, cheesecake, etc.). I imagine they'll offer prepacks in the freezer that they have on site. I found sample cups by the froyo machines. They had some of their own flavors including a creative one, Gatorade.

I think things will get even better once they bring in more of their own flavors and give the place a makeover.

Menchie’s Ocean Park first opened in 2011. Menchie’s still has a location in Santa Monica at 732 Montana Ave, though it's been for sale for months. 

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.

Yogurtland Whittier, CA Has Closed & Other Whittier Froyo News

Yogurtland Whittier, interior

Yogurtland Whittier, exterior

Fro-yo girl here. I hadn’t visited Whittier for a few months (not since fall 2022 when Amazon Go first opened) and it felt like time for another big flat rate cup of Pinkberry. The price hasn’t changed – it’s still $4.99, including toppings. And it’s still self-serve. Amazon Go is doing a good job with the froyo texture too! Anyway, as I was driving over to Amazon Go on Whittier Blvd., I noticed the Yogurtland sign had disappeared.

Yogurtland Whittier at the Quad has closed! The last day was December 23, 2022. They posted the following message on Facebook, “Thanks for all the love and support at our Whittier store throughout the years! Unfortunately, we have permanently closed our doors as of 12/23/22.” The shop first opened in 2012.

I took a few pictures. The froyo machines are gone but the counters, lights, and tile are still there. The exterior and interior signs were removed. I visited the location a few times. R.I.P., Yogurtland Whittier.

In other Whittier froyo news, Rockie’s is under now ownership. The shop was closed for remodeling and it reopened on March 25.

* YOGURTLAND, 13582-A Whittier Blvd, Whittier, CA 90605

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.

Menchie’s Reopens in Burbank, Grand Opening This Weekend

 

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve been driving by to check on the new Menchie’s in Burbank for the last couple of months. The door’s been open the last few times I looked but the windows were covered. The shopping center security guard told me that the shop would open right before Thanksgiving, then in December. Well, after multiple delays, they opened on February 11. They’re hoping to have a grand opening this weekend. I’m not sure if I can make it or not (will try to go).

The new Menchie’s location is in the same shopping center as the previous Menchie’s (they moved) and it took over a year for the build out. They built it themselves and kept the tiled wall and other elements of the previous location.

There are 14 self-serve flavors a day. Froyo and toppings are $0.65/oz. Froyo cakes are coming soon.

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

* MENCHIE’S: 3808 W Verdugo Ave, Burbank, CA 91505

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.

2022 California Froyo Shop Openings & Closings

Fro-yo girl here. It's been an interesting year for froyo in California. While froyo shops continued to deal with rising costs and supply shortages, the number of non-froyo shops offering froyo seemed to be higher than ever, thanks to froyo vending machines (iCream partnered with Pinkberry) and Nick the Greek. Amazon Go opened three shops in Southern California, two of which offer self-serve Pinkberry froyo.

I tried to keep track of any place that serves froyo in soft serve form, including restaurants, convenience stores, pop-ups, froyo trucks and trailers, vending machines, and more. As usual, it's easier to find out about openings since many places close quietly, without making any announcement. 

Froyo Shop Openings (Includes Froyo Trucks)

1. Abyss Yogurt, inside Abyss Market, Valley Village
2. Cool Spot, Brentwood (froyo truck)
3. Easy Breezy, Los Gatos
4. Golden Spoon, Valencia (Northpark)
5. Joy Sedona, Lake Balboa
6. K&J Froyo & Kafe, Hanford
7. Lizzy’s Premium Frozen Yogurt, Desert Hot Springs 
8. Never Better Frozen Yogurt, Lake Elsinore
9. NuYo, Blue Oaks, West Roseville
10. Sprinkles on Top, Elk Grove
11. Sweet Spot, Escalon
12. Tuttimelon, Fairfield
13. Waffie & Yogie, Long Beach
14. Yogurt Mill, Modesto (froyo truck)
15. Yogurt Stop, Walnut Creek
16. Yogurtland, Fresno – El Paseo 
17. Yogurtland, Palmdale - East Ave.
18. Yogurtland, Madera
19. Yogurtland, Pixley

Not a Froyo Shop but Serves Froyo

1. Active Culture, Long Beach
2. Amazon Go, Whittier 
3. Amazon Go, Woodland Hills 
4. Anita Gelato, Tarzana
5. Jayna Gyro, Sacramento
6. K Street, Oakland
7. Loop Market, Sacramento
8. Nick the Greek, Daly City (Gellert)
9. Nick the Greek, Elk Grove
10. Nick the Greek, Foster City
11. Nick the Greek, Fresno
12. Nick the Greek, Novato
13. Nick the Greek, Roseville - Fountains
14. Nick the Greek, San Francisco
15. Nick the Greek, Santa Rosa
16. Nick the Greek, Vacaville
17. Nick the Greek, Walnut Creek
18. Souvla, Dogpatch, San Francisco
19. Sweetie’s Ice Cream Shop, Santa Barbara
20. Valley Swirl, Los Angeles (moved)

Vending Machines

1. Pinkberry, Cabazon, Palm Springs
2. Pinkberry, Westfield Santa Anita, Arcadia
3. Pinkberry, Topanga, Canoga Park
4. Pinkberry, Oaks Mall, Thousand Oaks
5. Pinkberry, Beverly Center, Los Angeles
6. Pinkberry, Ontario International Airport, Terminal 2
7. Pinkberry, Ontario International Airport, Terminal 4
8. Pinkberry, Pacific View Mall, Ventura

That's a total of 46 new places that serve froyo: 18 new froyo shops (including two froyo trucks), 20 non-froyo shops, and 8 froyo vending machines. In 2021, I found 26 new places that started serving froyo, including 15 new froyo shops, 10 non-froyo shops that serve froyo, plus one existing café that added froyo. That's a lot more in 2022 vs. 2021. 

I didn’t count the rebranded froyo businesses or the ones under new ownership, but I did try to track both.

Name Change/Rebranded

• U Top It Subs & Sweets, Ukiah (moved, changed name from U Top It)

New Ownership

1. JoJo’s Yogurt, Clovis
2. Menchie's, Fremont
3. Tutti Frutti Canyon Country, Santa Clarita
4. Urban Yogurt, Shingle Springs
5. Waffie & Yogie, Long Beach

Closings

1. Big Spoon, Roseville
2. Cherry Chill, Ontario
3. Go Crazy, Concord
4. Hogi Yogi, Redlands
5. Menchie’s South Pasadena
6. Menchie's, Santa Maria
7. Mickey’s Yogurt, Riverside
8. Owl’s Ice Cream, Porter Ranch
9. PennyLane, Campbell
10. Riyo Yogurt, Lotus
11. Tutti Frutti, Buena Park
12. Tutti Frutti, North Hills
13. Tutti Frutti, Piedmont, Oakland
14. Valley Swirl, Los Angeles (moved)
15. YoFrutti, Moorpark
16. Yogurt Creations, Santa Maria
17. Yogurt World USA, Petaluma
18. Yogurtland, Santa Ana – Main Place Mall
19. Yogurtland, Brentwood
20. Yogurtland, Burbank - Downtown
21. Yogurtland, Whittier

As for froyo shop closings, I found twenty-one this year (and some weren't technically froyo shops, but I grouped them together since most were froyo shops). Three Yogurtland locations closed in Southern California and two Menchie's locations. One Yogurtland location closed in Northern California. In 2021, I found 45 closings, including 8 Menchie’s locations, 2 Pinkberry locations, 4 Tutti Frutti locations, and 6 Yogurtland locations. 

And more froyo is on the way. I found 20 places listed as opening soon.

Coming soon

1. Beary Bliss, Big Bear Lake
2. Menchie's, Burbank (moved)
3. Nick the Greek, Berkeley
4. Nick the Greek, Folsom
5. Nick the Greek, Hayward
6. Nick the Greek, Hollister
7. Nick the Greek, Marin
8. Nick the Greek, Monterey
9. Nick the Greek, Mountain View
10. Nick the Greek, Natomas
11. Nick the Greek, Oakland
12. Nick the Greek, Palo Alto
13. Nick the Greek, Sacramento
14. Nick the Greek, Salinas
15. Nick the Greek, Sonoma
16. Nick the Greek, Stockton
17. Nick the Greek, Tracy
18. Pinkberry, Manteca (1st drive-thru)
19. Souvla, Larkspur
20. Yoba, Ontario

Since I find out about openings and closings after publishing my post, I’ll keep updating this post. 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.

Menchie’s Burbank Could Reopen This Month

 

Fro-yo girl here. It’s been a year since I reported that the Menchie’s location in Burbank, California was moving (but staying in the same shopping center). They had to build out the new spot, which is right next to their old spot. The old spot became an Urbane Café which recently opened.

The goal was to open in the fall, before the school year started. They’re now hoping to open right before Thanksgiving! You heard it here first. And the exterior sign is up. The windows were covered, so I couldn’t see anything.

Update: It looks like the opening will occur in December.

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

* MENCHIE’S: 3800 W Verdugo Ave, Burbank, CA 91505

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.

A Visit to the New Yogurt Spot in Walnut Creek

Fro-yo girl here. I recently had a chance to visit a new froyo shop. Yogurt Spot opened in Rossmoor Town Center in Walnut Creek, CA this summer. It’s more than a froyo shop; it’s a frozen dessert emporium. They offer 10 flavors of counter-serve soft serve froyo (from Sugar Creek/ Honey Hill Farms), a case of gelato, floats, and shaved ice.

The toppings selection is smaller than usual but not bad. They only had one kind of fresh fruit, strawberries. Other toppings included candies, cookies, nuts, marshmallows, cookie dough, popping boba, mochi, sprinkles, sauces, and cheesecake bites. They didn’t have granola or chocolate shell.

Kiddie size, Italian tart

Froyo prices include toppings.

Kiddie ($5.50)/ Small ($7.50)/ Medium ($8.50)/ Large ($10)

The kiddie portion was the right size. Small looked pretty big. They were generous with the froyo and toppings. And the Italian tart had good texture and a nice tang.

The décor was simple but tasteful: a huge counter, warm orangeish paint, lots of lights, attractive hand written menu boards. They have an outdoor patio with seating. I was pleased by the cleanliness of the shop and the friendly service. Samples were offered.

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

YOGURT SPOT: 19808 Tice Valley Blvd, Ste B, Walnut Creek, CA 94595

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.