Northfield is opening its arms to the new kid in town, CherryBerry. This self-serve frozen yogurt business, which has over 50 locations throughout the Midwest and the South, has situated itself on 400 West Fifth Street, next to Caribou Coffee and Verizon Wireless.
What has made CherryBerry such a success is the fact that customers have complete control in fashioning their dessert creations. CherryBerry offers over 50 rotating fat-free frozen yogurt flavors, along with more than 50 scrumptious toppings. The dessert possibilities are endless.
I stopped by CherryBerry on its opening day last Friday, Sept. 21. When I walked in, an employee greeted me with a smile and asked if I had ever been to any of their locations before. When I replied that I hadn’t, the employee excitedly explained to me that I could simply grab a cup and start creating any concoction I wanted. The frozen yogurt selection offered 16 flavors that rotate every so often, creating variety each time you go. The flavors had creative and appetizing names, such as Cookie Monster, Birthday Bash and White Chocolate Wonder.
After I selected my frozen yogurt, I had the option of visiting the topping bar to add any or all of the toppings I so desired. They offered 16 dry toppings, ranging from gummy bears and sprinkles to granola and butterscotch chips. In addition to these, they offered 16 refrigerated toppings, ranging from fresh pineapple chunks and sliced strawberries to candy bar pieces. After I filled my cup, a CherryBerry employee weighed my creation on a scale, and I paid for it according to its weight $0.39 per ounce. I agree with CherryBerry’s online statement that “the possibilities are endless. Simply swirl it, top it, weigh it, pay for it. CherryBerry gives the fun to people by allowing them to create their own frozen yogurt.” It was indeed a fun experience for me, and I feel that any fan of frozen treats will feel the same way.
CherryBerry is a good place for anyone to visit, especially St. Olaf students. Within walking distance of campus, this yogurt bar can easily make for a quick, sweet study break during any busy week. CherryBerry also provides a wonderful destination for a relaxing and enjoyable outing, as it offers free Wi-Fi. In addition, the store has two mounted TVs for friends and families to gather around and watch together as they enjoy their treats.
One concern that I have for this new CherryBerry location is the timing of its entrepreneurial launch. With autumn here and winter on its way, frozen yogurt will not be on the top of many people’s lists of winter desires. Hot chocolate, coffee and seasonal soup will most likely win that battle. Even during the store’s autumn opening day, the crowd at CherryBerry was somewhat sparse. I can only hope that it will make it through our imminent Minnesota winter.
