UPDATED: Bloop is the latest to join the frozen yogurt scene in Roanoke
Update posted May 22
According to this website, BTO frozen yogurt, which already has a location in Radford, is opening in Salem on West Main Street.
That makes at least 13 frozen yogurt shops from Radford to Roanoke and the Smith Mountain Lake area. Here’s my list:
Frogurt in downtown Roanoke
Sweet Frog at Towers Shopping Center
Sweet Frog in Hardy
Sweet Frog at Towne Square Shopping Center (opening soon)
Sweet Frog in Christiansburg
Sweet Pete’s at Ridgewood Farms in Salem
Frosty Parrot in Blacksburg
Yogurt Cafe in Southwest Roanoke County
Naticakes at the Bonsack Kroger shopping center (opening this summer)
Menchie’s at Hunting Hills Plaza
Bloop at Hunting Hills Station in Roanoke
BTO in Radford
BTO in Salem (opening soon)
End update
I mentioned in this blog post last week that a new frozen yogurt store was opening at Hunting Hills Station, a shopping strip just below Chick-fil-A and Starbucks on U.S. 220.
I’m back with more details on the store.
The new frozen yogurt store is a franchise called Bloop, which is based in Lynchburg where two stores have already opened. A third Lynchburg store is opening soon, as are stores in Charlottesville, Winchester and Greensboro, N.C.
The Roanoke franchise owner, Ryan Schwartz, said he wanted to bring the business to Roanoke because he thinks there is room in the market for more frozen yogurt and he believes in the business model.
The business model he speaks of includes Bloop’s Cup-4-Cup program, in which the company donates 5 cents of every sale to Charity: Water, an organization that is raising money to provide drinking water to third world countries.
“It’s yogurt with a difference,” Schwartz said. “This is something I’m passionate about. I’m passionate about making a difference.”
He said he’s not worried about competition from other nearby frozen yogurt stores, including Menchie’s at Hunting Hills Plaza, Yogurt Cafe on Electric Road near Brambleton Avenue, and Sweet Frog at Towers Shopping Center, because he likes the location of the new store and believes in the business model.
Bloop is expected to open the end of June. It will offer 12 flavors of ice cream at a time, 45 toppings, and charge 39 cents per ounce.
May 22, 2012 - 6:00 AM
Don’t get me wrong because I LOOOOVE fro-yo but holy cow. Do we really need another store?? Though I hope he does well, I don’t think this is a good location and it’s too close to Menchie’s, which is already low on customer traffic.
Roanoke needs a new fad
Wishing them all the success in the world. I just see a huge challenge with ingress/egress of this location. And for a cup of yogurt!
we really could use a good soft serve custard place like Ritas in Blacksburg. Talk about delicious!!
Amanda
Any more word on progress of Ukrops building and Food Lion building on 220? Are either of these buildings closer to finding a tenant??
Foodlion on 220 would be the perfect size and location for a Tradar Joes!!!!
What an awful name.
@Chris: Bubblecake started serving frozen custard at their South Roanoke location. See Lindsey Nair’s blog post.
@Chris: Sorry, I haven’t called Valley Bank about Ukrops, although it’s on my long list of things to do, as is checking on the status of the Food Lion building.
No problem. Thanks Amanda. Keep me posted if you learn anything.
Does it appear that the frozen yogurt opening craze is nationwide or more localized?
@Roa10: I know the trend started on the West Coast a few years ago and has gradually moved across the country. I’ve noticed frozen yogurt shops in Ohio when I go to visit family, but I have to wonder if for some reason Roanoke is seeing more than usual.
I believe that it is less of a yogurt craze and more of new concept craze. Frozen yogurt died off but has found new life with the new self serve concept shops.
The website for Sweet Frog also mentions a new location opening in Blacksburg. On an unrelated subject, do you happen to have any updates or news on the Shoppes at Blue Ridge Village development off 460 near Bonsack? I haven’t heard much out of there lately and rarely drive by, but I know they at least have a few tenants, including Jimmy John’s.
My apologies, the above should have said Shoppes at Blue Hills Village.
Like others have said, I love frozen yogurt as much as the next person but the number of stores is getting out of hand. For myself I may try one of these from time to time but for my regular stop I will stick to my old tried and true Katies Ice Cream. Been going there for years so why switch now! I just wonder how many of these places will still be standing come next summer especially through a good winter.
@Roa10 – that’s okay, I knew what you were talking about. I reported earlier this year that Wing Boss restaurant would open at the Shoppes at Blue Hills Village. I spoke this morning with restaurant owner Gene Brown, who said the opening has been delayed because of hold ups with paperwork the city wanted. He’s also working a day job, so that’s slowed him down, too. He hopes to open July 1.
As for other tenants, there’s Jimmy John’s, like you mentioned, a Verizon Wireless Zone store, and a hair salon. If I can get in touch with the owner of the shopping center I’ll ask whether there are other new tenants.
Frozen yogurt shops are what coffee shops were a decade ago. They are something new and different now, but sadly, like most of the coffee shops that were everywhere back in the day, won’t stand the test of time. I say in a year, only one , maybe two will be still in business.
You can probably see what the next trend will be around here, as we are about 10-15 years behind every other major city. Look at their past trends and you can be sure one will eventually land in The Noke.
Thanks Amanda!