Islands Yogurt is serving up healthy treats in a laid-back atmosphere.
The self-serve frozen yogurt shop opened less than two weeks ago on Del Prado Boulevard in southeast Cape Coral, just north of the Walmart.
"People are flowing into the store," said Bree-Ann Compos, co-owner. "I've even had some customers that have come in twice in a day."
Compos owns the shop with her fiance, Benjamin Waller. The couple recently relocated to Cape Coral from San Diego, Calif. This is a new venture for them - Compos worked in the medical field and Waller was in construction before opening the shop.
Islands Yogurt is having a soft opening and many customers are coming in because of word-of-mouth.
Compos wanted to open a self-serve yogurt shop for years but California was too expensive. The couple started to look in Florida to find a great place to relocate.
"I fell in love with Cape Coral," Compos said. "I love all the canals and all the water."
The Cape seems to be loving her back. Compos said sales have grown every day since the store opened June 24.
"I've been waiting for one to come to the Cape," said resident Taylor Simms. "It's delicious."
The shop offers 10 non-fat or low-fat flavors that rotate weekly on five yogurt machines, some flavors featured now are red velvet cupcake, old fashioned peanut butter, tropical sorbet and no-sugar-added tahitian vanilla. Islands Yogurt makes sure one machine always has a non-dairy sorbet in order to give customers options.
"I think the community would welcome something new and health conscious," Compos said.
The shop also carries more than 40 toppings ranging from candy and gummies to fresh fruit and marshmallow topping.
Customers pay 45 cents an ounce for their frozen yogurt creation and the average treat costs around $3.
"When I heard this place opened here, I got really excited," said Virginia Wolf, a Cape Coral resident. "It's a healthy treat."
The new spin on frozen yogurt began in 2005 with the opening of Pinkberry in California. Now the self-serve frozen yogurt trend has hit Southwest Florida. Coconut Point and Gulf Coast Town Center already have self-serve shops. Islands Yogurt is the only such shop in the Cape.
"(We're) with the wave," Compos said.
Islands Yogurt was expected to open much sooner, but was delayed because of construction issues.
"It was really hard on us," Compos said. "This is our money, our heart, our soul."
Islands Yogurt is hoping to be an interactive eatery. Customers can suggest flavors and toppings to the owners and it's active on Facebook.
Compos said that many of her new customers came in because of Facebook. Customers can "friend" the yogurt shop and see special deals and new flavors directly in their news-feed. The shop also sends out text alerts when the flavors are about to change.
"It's been a gamble," Compos said. "I only hope that it keeps getting better."
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