Tuesday, December 26, 2017

California Froyo Shop Openings and Closings in 2017


Fro-yo girl here. California is a large state and it’s the one with the most frozen yogurt shops. There’s a great deal of froyo activity going on throughout the year. This makes it challenging to track every froyo shop opening and closing. The openings are easier to track because shops make an effort to get their name out there. They usually have a Yelp listing and a presence on Facebook and/or Instagram. Shops generally close quietly, often with no announcement.

There are also non-traditional frozen yogurt locations – places that have frozen yogurt but it isn’t their main line of business (e.g., restaurants, convenience stores). Tracking frozen yogurt that’s served at non-traditional locations is even more challenging.

There are other non-traditional frozen yogurt formats. I consider frozen yogurt trucks, froyo vending machines and a large froyo section within another business as froyo shops because they appear to be standalone operations.

When existing frozen yogurt stores change ownership but not names, I don’t consider this to be an opening or a closing. When existing frozen yogurt stores change names and ownership, I consider this to be a new shop.

Here’s my attempt to track froyo shop openings and closings in California this year.

 Openings:
  1. 21 Choices, Pasadena (reopened after remodeling) 
  2. All American Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Moreno Valley
  3. Bella Yogurt, Los Angeles
  4. Big Kahuna, Modesto
  5. Big Kahuna, Sanger
  6. Blondies Yogurt, Colfax
  7. Bloomfield Creamery, Pasadena
  8. Cali Yogurt, Lemon Grove
  9. Cherries N Berries Sweet Shop, Paramount
  10. Chillbox, Sacramento
  11. Chillz Frozen Yogurt, Riverside
  12. CoffeeWalk Yogurtalk, Los Angeles (moved from Crenshaw)
  13. Cookies & Yogurt, Eureka
  14. Corner Café & Froyo, Murrieta
  15. Cuppa (was RockIt Swirl), San Francisco
  16. Daddy’s Best Froyo #2 (froyo truck) 
  17. Fit Fro, Yorba Linda
  18. Friza Frozen Yogurt, Torrance (formerly Cups)
  19. Frobot, Santa Clara (multiple locations in Levi’s Stadium)
  20. Froyolicious Buzz (froyo truck), Fontana
  21. Fruity Tart, Moreno Valley
  22. Go Greek, Santa Monica
  23. Golden Spoon, Poway
  24. Golden Spoon, River Oaks Valencia 
  25. Golden Spoon, Valencia Copper Hill (closed, reopened under new management and ownership)
  26. Golden Spoon, Calabasas (closed, reopened under new management and ownership)
  27. Jefferson’s Flavors, Yreka
  28. Joy, Shell Beach
  29. Loving Cup, Union St., San Francisco 
  30. May Cafe, Hawaiian Gardens
  31. Meme’s on Main, Red Bluff
  32. Menchie’s, Eagle Rock, Los Angeles 
  33. Menchie's, Fresno, Park Crossing Shopping Center
  34. Menchie’s, Glendale 
  35. Menchie’s, La Mesa
  36. Menchie’s, Marina
  37. Menchie’s Rancho Cordova
  38. Menchie’s, Rialto
  39. Menchie’s, Sacramento
  40. Menchie’s, Universal Citywalk
  41. Mo’s Frozen Yogurt (inside Mission Oaks Café), Camarillo
  42. Pinkberry, Anaheim ARTIC
  43. Rainbow Sprinkles, South Lake Tahoe
  44. Red Mango, Livermore
  45. Scoops, Colfax
  46. Spoon Me Yogurt, Orange
  47. Spoons Frozen Yogurt, Porterville
  48. Sweet Kream Froyo, Chula Vista
  49. The Sweet Swirl, Claremont
  50. Sweet Retreat, San Jose
  51. Swirlz Soft Serve Parlor, San Marino
  52. Uptown Frozen Yogurt, Whittier (technically opened on 12/31/2016)
  53. Whipp’d (moved into Fat Tomato on Highland)
  54. Yellow Yo, Citrus Heights
  55. Yogurt 101, Solana Beach
  56. Yogurt Hub, Brea
  57. Yogurt Pizazz, Martinez
  58. Yogurtland, Baldwin Hills
  59. Yogurtland, Brentwood
  60. Yogurtland, Lincoln, Santa Monica 
  61. Yogurtland, Menifee
  62. Yogurtland, Tustin
  63. Yogurtland, West Hollywood
  64. Zooies, Los Angeles


Permanently Closed:
  1. All American Ice Cream & Yogurt, Moreno Valley
  2. Almaden Yogurt Factory, San Jose
  3. Beachside, Imperial Beach
  4. Berries Frozen Yogurt, Glendora
  5. Berry Delicious, Novato
  6. Berry Fresh Wellness Café, La Habra
  7. Big Kahuna, Modesto
  8. Big Kahuna, Selma
  9. The Blissery, Pasadena
  10. Blush Organic Frozen Yogurt, Walnut Creek
  11. Buona Vita Yogurt, Berkeley
  12. C&M Café, Sherman Oaks
  13. Cherry on Top, Little Tokyo, Los Angeles
  14. Chillbox, San Diego
  15. CoffeeWalk, YogurTalk, Los Angeles (Crenshaw)
  16. Coolberry, Glendora
  17. Crème Bee, Alhambra (stopped carrying froyo last year though)
  18. Crepe N Berry, Rancho Cucamonga
  19. Crush Frozen Yogurt, Manteca
  20. Culture Shock Yogurt, Grass Valley
  21. Cups, Torrance (replaced by Friza)
  22. Forbidden Yogurt, San Diego
  23. Forever Yogurt/Bee & Tea, Walnut Creek
  24. Forever Yogurt/Bee & Tea, Morgan Hill
    25.
  25. Fraiche Yogurt, Stanford Campus
  26. Fraiche Yogurt, San Francisco 
  27. Freeze Style Frozen Yogurt, Hanford
  28. Froplay, Los Angeles
  29. Froyo, Fillmore
  30. Froyo Heavenly Cafe, Menifee
  31. FroyoLife, Beverly Hills
  32. FroyoLife, Los Feliz
  33. Frozen Yogurt & Deli, Montebello
  34. Frozen Yogurt Castle, Fresno 
  35. Golden Spoon, Brea
  36. Golden Spoon Beach/Warner, Huntington Beach
  37. Golden Spoon, Calabasas
  38. Golden Spoon, Glendora
  39. Golden Spoon, Stevenson Ranch
  40. Golden Spoon, Valencia Copper Hill
  41. Golden Spoon, Valencia Magic Mountain Pkwy
  42. Golden Spoon, Chula Vista
  43. Green Apple Frozen Yogurt, El Monte
  44. Guava Lava, Oceanside
  45. Hollywood Rock Café, Hollywood
  46. Ice-Yo, West Hollywood
  47. Joe's Organic Frozen Yogurt, Fullerton
  48. Krave It Frozen Yogurt, Thousand Oaks
  49. Kiwi Blast, Chico
  50. Love Berry, San Francisco
  51. Lulu's Froyo, Sylmar
  52. Melado's, Sylmar
  53. Menchie’s, Irvine
  54. Menchie’s, Rancho Santa Margarita 
  55. Mickey's Frozen Yogurt, Fresno
  56. Mmm Yogurt, Delano
  57. Moo Greek Yogurt, Los Angeles
  58. My Yogurt, San Diego
  59. Nubi Yogurt, Sloat Blvd., San Francisco
  60. Nubi Yogurt, 16th St./Mission, San Francisco
  61. Nubi Yogurt, Millbrae
  62. Oopa Yogurt Bar, Folsom
  63. Pinkberry, Huntington Beach
  64. Pinkberry, Koreatown, Los Angeles
  65. Pinkberry, Hermosa Beach
  66. Planet Yogurt, Santa Clarita
  67. Razz Frozen Yogurt, Woodland
  68. Razzlicious, Redding, Dana Drive
  69. Razzlicious, Redding, Eureka Way
  70. Razzlicious, Anderson
  71. Razzlicious, Red Bluff
  72. Red Cup, Oceanside
  73. Robot Yogurt, Bakersfield
  74. Rockit Swirl (renamed Cuppa)
  75. Surf 'N Yogurt, Camarillo
  76. Sweet Retreat, Los Gatos
  77. Tommy K's 4 Alarm Yogurt, Red Bluff
  78. Tutti Frutti, Los Angeles (Santee Alley)
  79. Tutti Frutti, Concord (Sunvalley Mall)
  80. Tutti Frutti, Irvine
  81. Verylicious Yogurt, Hawthorne
  82. Whipp’d, West Hollywood (moved to Highland Ave. in Hollywood)
  83. Yogurt Zone, Bakersfield
  84. Yoppi Yogurt Fillmore, San Francisco
  85. Yogofina, Berkeley
  86. Yogurt Bee, Hawaiian Gardens
  87. Yogurt Creations, San Luis Obispo
  88. Yogurt Farms, Windsor
  89. Yogurt Hub, Brea
  90. Yogurt Oasis, Lancaster
  91. Yogurt Zone, Bakersfield
  92. Yogurtland Bancroft, Berkeley
  93. Yogurtland Shattuck, Berkeley
  94. Yogurtland, Morgan Hill
  95. Yogurtland, Little Italy, San Diego
  96. Yogurtland, 2nd St./Belmont Shore, Long Beach
    97.
  97. Yogurteria, Stevenson Ranch
  98. Yogurtouille, Fremont
  99. Yummy Yogurt, Solana Beach

Closed for Remodeling (or Temporarily Closed):
  • 21 Choices, Claremont (Foothill) 
  • Big Kahuna Frozen Yogurt, Reedley
  • Boxcar Eats, Sacramento
  • Yogurtland, 7th St., Long Beach

Coming Soon:
  1. Big Kahuna, Ceres
  2. Blitzer’s, Menifee 
  3. Loop Neighborhood, Union City
  4. Menchie’s, Arleta
  5. Menchie's, El Centro
  6. Menchie’s, Hanford
  7. Menchie’s, Mission Viejo
  8. Menchie’s, Mission Hills
  9. Menchie's, Sacramento, Delta Shores
  10. Menchie's, Van Nuys, Sherman Square 
  11. Morsey's Farmhouse Kitchen, Los Altos
  12. Popbar, Concord
  13. Yagoot, Hollywood
  14. Yogurtland, Bakersfield
  15. Yogurtland, Irvine

Under New Ownership:
  • Golden Spoon, Lakewood
  • Tutti Frutti, Sylmar (closed then reopened)

Not Mainly Froyo But Opened and/or Started Serving Froyo:
  1. Clifton’s Republic, Los Angeles (carries Pinkberry)
  2. Forty Carrots, Century City (inside Bloomingdales)
  3. IKEA, Burbank
  4. Jeni’s Ice Creams, Calabasas
  5. Jeni’s Ice Creams, Venice
  6. Jeni’s Ice Creams, Larchmont Village, Los Angeles 
  7. Kali Greek Kitchen, Palo Alto (carries Fraiche Yogurt)
  8. La Boulangerie, Sutter St., San Francisco (carries Loving Cup)
  9. Loop Neighborhood, California St., San Francisco
  10. Loving Cup, inside La Boulangerie de Sutter
  11. N Gelato, Azusa 
  12. The Plant Organic Café, Montgomery St., San Francisco serving Easy Breezy
  13. The Plant Organic Café, Steiner at Chestnut, San Francisco serving Easy Breezy
  14. Poki Yo, Buena Park
  15. Poki Yo, Santa Monica
  16. Souvla, Valencia, San Francisco 

Not a Froyo Shop but Had Froyo and Now Closed or No Longer Serves Froyo:
  1. Dr. Bob’s, Roseville
  2. Freshii at Target, West Hollywood
  3. Freshii at Target, Pasadena
  4. Freshii at Target, Culver City
  5. Freshii at Target, Valencia
  6. Freshii at Target, Woodland Hills
  7. Freshii at Target, Brea
  8. Freshii at Target, Irvine 1
  9. Freshii at Target, Irvine 2
  10. Gill's Old Fashioned Ice Cream, Farmers Market, Los Angeles (80 years old)
  11. Stick Station, Pasadena
  12. Walgreens, San Francisco (removed yogurt machines)
  13. Walgreens, Los Angeles (removed yogurt machines)
  14. Yo! Boba, Los Angeles
So, there were 64 openings of froyo shops in California vs. 99 closings in 2017, significantly fewer openings and closings than in 2016. Frozen yogurt shop closings outnumbered openings. Closures occurred for new and old, longtime froyo businesses. Some shops like Ice-Yo, All American Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, and Buona Vita did not last a year. Sadly, some cities now have no frozen yogurt shops. 

 Menchie's opened 8 new locations in California, while Yogurtland wasn't far behind with 6 new locations. Golden Spoon had the most closings; seven this year, though two of those have reopened under new ownership. Menchie's closed 2 California locations, Yogurtland closed five, and Pinkberry closed three. The two Forever Yogurt locations in California closed this year. I didn't make it to either though I have been to Forever Yogurt in Chicago. I've been to 17 of the new froyo shops, including 7 grand opening celebrations.

The Freshii at Target concept didn't last long. All Freshii locations inside Target stores in Southern California have closed. Walgreen's ceased offering self-serve frozen yogurt at all locations. On the positive side of the non-traditional locations, Loop Neighborhood continues to add new convenience stores with self-serve froyo and Frobot, the froyo robot vending machine, is now at Levi's Stadium. Rite Aid still has self-serve froyo at its Fresh Day Cafe. Reis & Irvy are actively recruiting froyo robot franchisees in California. And restaurants have started to partner with froyo shops like Easy Breezy, Fraiche, and Loving Cup to offer their yogurt at several restaurants like The Plant Cafe Organic, Kali, and La Boulangerie.

Since I always wind up finding out about new 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.
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