Top that!

You may have heard us say this before, but it’s worth repeating: At YogurtLab, we take our toppings seriously. That’s why we’re proud of our partnership with local fine food purveyors like Ashley Mac’s to bring you a selection of proprietary toppings. And these aren’t just any proprietary toppings … In Ashley’s case they’re her namesake! Some fun facts on each:

A pound of fresh strawberries goes into every Strawberry Signature Iced Cake Ashley makes! Ashley has fond memories of it as a child growing up when her mom made it. She has since taken her mom’s recipe and perfected it; today, she’s proud to call it “famous”! At YogurtLab, she recommends Strawberry Cake morsels with Cheesecake yogurt.

The Triple Chocolate Brownies were the first delicacy when Ashley Mac’s opened a few years ago. Ashley describes them as a gooey, moist, fudge-y blend of three kinds of chocolate, including Ghirardelli. YogurtLab carries the crumbled version of Triple Chocolate Brownies. Ashley recommends them sprinkled on Peanut Butter yogurt (which will be back by popular demand in the store the week of August 9th!).

Coconut Cake, the latest signature iced cake on Ashley’s menu, was lovingly developed by Ashley at the request of her customers. The only secret we could get from Ashley on this decadent cake: “We toast our own coconut.” And of course, toasted coconut shavings can be found in the batter AND in the cheesecake frosting! Ashley recommends Coconut Cake morsels with Viva Vanilla.

Please, top and tell! What are you putting these gourmet toppings on at YogurtLab? And stay tuned … next up, Ashley shares a cookie recipe with YogurtLab!

Seeking Lab Partners

So....it's been quite a while since our last post. Much has happened over the last 4 weeks and that "much" has kept us busy! We opened to your rave reviews on June 1st.

Let me start by saying, "Thanks!" to all of you for your suggestions, comments and compliments of the store we worked so hard to create for you. One thing we hope that you will notice about YogurtLab is that we will also be listening to you. We never want to become a place that is mundane. We will always be seeking a way to take your breath away, to bring you back wanting more, and to keep you guessing as to what you will find.

One jewel of a find for us is our team members. you might notice them by their bright colored shirts and their bright smiles. We have been blessed by the amazing group that has come to the store to serve you. They are eager to help make your visit a memorable one. They are sharp and friendly and always making suggestions to us of how they think we could better your experience. Don't hesitate to ask them anything. They may not know the answer but I can guarantee you they will work hard to get one.

Your feedback is valuable. We love the suggestions for toppings, yogurt flavors, etc. We are listening and will seek, research and look for ways to give you the creation of your dreams. So, sit back, relax and experiment often.

A Little Like Christmas

I love when a new business comes to the community. It's like a little taste of Christmas or Birthday in an otherwise ordinary month. A New business brings a freshness to the community. I love the newness of the concept. I love the fresh, clean smell of the paint. I love the creative, outside the box thinking of the branding and/or design companies.

When construction first begins, it's a little like when you first lay eyes on your presents. Man, you just can't wait to see what's in that box! Is it a clothing store? Is it a new food place? Every single day when you drive by, you look to see if anything has changed. I crane my head and try to squint my eyes to see if I can get a glimpse and a first knowledge of what it will be. When the banner or sign goes up announcing the the business, well, that's when the fun really begins for me. I really get excited...kind of like when you realize that the box under the Christmas tree looks like exactly the right size for what you want. I begin to dream about the color scheme and where everything will be. Who will work there? Who will hang out there? What products will they have? Oh, I hope it's unique, different and cool!

So, what is our concept? What is our color scheme? What are the yogurt flavors? What are the toppings? I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise. Christmas and Birthdays are not much fun when you know exactly what you are going to get.

Keep a watch for the "open" sign in the next few weeks. We are almost ready to "unwrap" our business to you, the community. Just like Christmas and Birthdays, it's going to be worth the time we made you wait.

Science of a Spoon

How many of you have every really looked at a spoon? I mean, REALLY looked at a spoon? That's where we are...looking at spoons. Who knew that there could be so many options in so many colors? Let's take for instance the bowl of the spoon. Do you want it wide? Do you want it thin? Do you want it deep? How long? Or, look at the handle. Long or short? Thin or thick? Textured or smooth? You could go crazy with the possibilities! Hey, what about the spork? Nah. Ok...so maybe we should start with what color. Clear? White? Fuchsia? Lime Green? Orange? Chocolate Brown?

So all this looking at spoons has me wondering. Has anyone ever been in an ice cream shop, a frozen yogurt shop or any other restaurant and said, "Hey! I really like the design and color of that spoon! I wonder if we could get some of those."? Somehow I just doubt it. Still, it is intriguing that so many companies could be in the business of making and selling spoons. It attests to our love of them.

So back to business. What shape, size, color, thickness should we chose? I guess we will just have to sacrifice and try the bazillion spoons with our yogurt and toppings to see what just looks the best and performs as a spoon should. We'll keep you posted on our progress.

Countdown to Grand Opening

We are rapidly approaching opening day for YogurtLab. We have researched, tasted, dreamed, consulted, created, ordered, listened, and worked hard to create a place that you will see as a part of your community and a fun, friendly, hip, cool and delicious place to come again and again. We can't wait to share our concept with you and hear your thoughts. We want to be a part of the community and learn you by name. Stay tuned as we count it down!