If You've Seen One Yogurt Shop ...

You've seen ... well .... one yogurt shop.  If there is anything I have learned in this process, it is that fro yo shops are not created equal.

If you're behind on the times, let me break it down for you.  I'm buying a yogurt shop, turning it into a health & wellness club and using it specifically for a home base for my National Lifestyle Centers business.  Obviously, that is a simplified explanation, but it's the basics.  You get the idea.

So, as we have looked and looked and researched and driven all over central Texas, I have come to realize that the style and decor of a yogurt shop is extremely important.  It's almost as important as the actual yogurt.  (More on that later.)  

For example, take a look at this well done store (and the cute little boy enjoying some yogurt):

Great colors.  Busy with lots of people.  Great use of t.v.'s on the wall.  Clean.

However, yellow isn't the only color that works.  And a topping bar isn't the only way to dispense toppings.  Take a look at this one we found in Arkansas.

Love it.  Very thought out and well designed.  ADORE the topping dispensers on the wall.

Or - you can actually make a subdued color scheme work for you as well.  We found this one in south Austin and it has an Asian inspired decor.

This one was another one that we liked with the bright red & yellow.

However, what you can't see in this picture is that the cash register is located in the wrong spot.  Everything seemed to bottleneck back at the back of the store near the restrooms.  We learned from this store that you must have the register at the front and the machines at the back.

I feel like I'm going cross-eyed after looking at so many yogurt shops.  This is only a few of the ones we have seen.  The worst part?  In order to really get a feel for each shop, you have to experience it as a customer would which means getting your favorite yogurt and piling on as many toppings as you can fit in the bowl.  Hey - it's a tough life ... somebody has to live it!