Update!

We have lids that fit our cups! So use them!

Now serving granola and butterscotch! We put sprinkles into a shaker instead to make room. I am waiting on more topping dispensers so that I can also put out White Chocolate Chips, Heath Bars, Fruity Pebbles, and Butterfingers. I will also get some chocolate sprinkles in another shaker!

Our Passion Fruit flavored Bursting Boba is running out soon! So the next flavor? Lychee!

Results from the Grand Opening! We made about $800 in profits, so $400 will go to Lakeville North High School and $400 to Lakeville South High School! Remember, we would love to work with any groups and activities looking to raise money! We can also do some donations.

In terms of giving back to our community, we have donated to a Fun Run hosted to raise money for the Heritage Center. We have also donated to the Lakeville North Speech Team as well as Lakeville Ice 99's girls' fast pitch softball team!

I am still looking for suggestions for fall flavors or flavors that people would like to see in the future! I am getting ready to order some flavors soon! So far I've been thinking Strawberry, Apple, and Cinnamon. Sound good for now? We will probably change flavors based on season, or roughly every month. Maybe 11 times a year. Regular, but not exact. Oh and we're thinking about running some more Peanut Butter too!

Addressing nut allergies: The yogurt does not contain nuts! The only things we have are the mixed nuts in the toppings section and the boba container says that it "May contain soybean oil. Manufactured on equipment that process products containing peanuts & tree nuts."

New Stuff!

Checking in from Yotopia because FREE Wifi is available! Just ask for the password inside!

So a few things have changed since we opened!

-Peanut butter was switched out for Black Raspberry Surprise
-Lemon Custard Chiffon was switched out for Californian Tart
-French Vanilla Cappuccino and Dulce de Leche (aka the last machine) are now SUGAR FREE!
-Now serving Bursting Boba! The current one is Passion Fruit flavored! So try it!

ALL flavors are gluten free! That wasn't a change, but just thought I should let you guys know~ They are also only about 100 calories per serving!

We're doing a Groupon deal soon, as soon as we figure that out!

REMINDER: August 10th Grand Opening! Proceeds DONATED to BOTH Lakeville High Schools!!

We would also love to work with high school clubs and organizations for fundraising opportunities! Just give us a call, and probably leave your name and number. Our number is 952-388-1777.

RECOMMENDATION: Our specialties right now are Hawaiian Coconut and Raspberry Surprise because I can guaranty you that no one else does it the same way we do!

Please give us feedback and suggestions! We want to serve you guys the best we can, because the community matters! Even if you feel like going for a treat, the yogurt is still healthy! Don't feel guilty about splurging on some candy toppings!

Day Three???

Oh wow! Third day already! I haven't posted in so long because I thought I would post at the end of opening day! Sorry!! Was wayyy too tired at the end of the day to sit and post. I literally went home, plopped down, and crashed.

One of my favorite things that have happened are people trying out Hawaiian Coconut and being really confused about the brown stuff coming out. That's because I used a chocolate base instead of a vanilla base! On top of their confusion, everyone has loved it!! Thank you Lindsey for the great suggestion!! 

So I have a few things to announce!

Starting tomorrow, or whenever I get the sign printed, we will no longer be taking cards for transactions under $3.00. Sorry!

Now bad news aside...

Thank you Kitty for doing such BEAUTIFUL paintings and THEN giving us a WONDERFUL welcoming pot of also beautiful flowers! Thank you thank you thank you!!!

All yogurt is gluten free. I don't think there are any nutrition facts about the flavorings. We have nutrition facts posted on Facebook. They will also be posted once I get the VGA to HDMI cord so that I can have a PowerPoint running on the screen above the cups! For now, I have printed the nutritional facts and they are left at the cash counter.

By popular demand, we have ordered sugar free yogurt!! I am thinking of having that at either the second machine or last machine... The first one can be regular Chocolate and Vanilla instead of Vanilla and Hawaiian Coconut (with chocolate!)

 Now let's end this post with a BANG!

GRAND OPENING ON AUGUST 10th!!! We're donating the profits to BOTH Lakeville High Schools. The catch? Pay in cash. It's easier to count things that way, as we wouldn't be donating the card transactions. So TELL EVERYONE!!

Starting up!

Machines are starting up as I type! Well, first they are going through cleaning and sanitizing before they get calibrated, but still. EEK!! *excited squeal*

I figured out Twitter on my phone! Yay! I just had the wrong username in my head! So follow on Twitter @YotopiaMN and Facebook at facebook.com/yotopia.mn

Again, we had ads out on the 19th, so I hope you guys looked for them! But no matter, you can always pick up a punch card here!

Confirmed!

We are ready to open on Saturday, July 28th! So bear with us just one more day! Well, I mean, I know today is the 26th, but the day is half over so I'm not counting it! One full day to opening!!

I think that is all I have to say for now. Still have not figured out Twitter on the iPhone...

Also totally excited to see our neon signs lit at night! It's so pretty!! And bright! Yeah!

Finishing Up

Just set up the wireless internet! And it works! YAY! Now I can sit down out in the dining area and blog, instead of standing in the kitchen and corded to the router!

It makes me sad to see all the people that have shown up for the opening, but we're not open!
*insert very sad face*
I am so excited that people have already been calling and coming over to take a look! It means my online communication is effective! Anyways, don't let our not being open right now deter you guys from coming back when we open! Keep up to date here, as well as Facebook! I'll probably post that we are ready as soon as I know on Facebook, then blog when I get my hands on a computer. Right now, we're looking at opening on Saturday. I will confirm that on Thursday.

Also! For those who may ask, we don't add the weight of the cup itself to your yogurt! You pay for what you eat, not what's holding it! I'll post a picture of that on Facebook as well.

NOTE: Our scale reads in pounds, but I assure you that it still calculates the cost equivalent to 45 cents per ounce. We will get a different scale, but I'll calculate the conversion here anyways:
1 ounce = 0.0625 pound
1/0.0625 = 16 ounce/pound
$0.45 per ounce x 16 = $7.20 per pound

Thus when you look at the scale, the unit price will be $7.20 per pound, which is the same as 45 cents per ounce. The amount you bought is going to look weird too because it's probably going to be under a pound.

I still need to figure out Twitter on the iPhone...

Not Yet!!

Hey y'all! This is super late notice, but we are NOT opening tomorrow, as there are still a few things left to figure out. I would have posted this much earlier, but had no access to a computer, and typing all this is a little difficult on an iPhone.

I think the next "good day" to open is Saturday... Gotta double check the calendars for that though!

REMINDER!! Within the first week of opening, we will have a Grand Opening thing where a cup of yogurt is a few dollars and then we donate the profits to the Lakeville High Schools! Yes, BOTH of them!

I did not notice that there are also two bunnies painted in the corner of the store!! SO CUTE!!! I squealed  when I saw them! SO CUTE!!!

Excited?!!

#$^G$*&H&(&*E$^E%(JAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
^Weird blerb of excitement.

We are no longer hiring, but for those interested, emails are welcome. I will probably not respond to them until we decide that we would like to hire more people, which we may. But as of right now, I'd rather not train ten people at once, but a few at a time instead. Thank you for understanding!

Check Facebook! I don't post like I do here, but it's nice to know we're getting out there and how many people have found us! Remember, facebook.com/yotopia.mn

Also on Facebook are some photos of the wonderful finished artwork of a Lakeville North art teacher! They are SO CUTE!! My favorite are the little  birds in the tree. I took a close up of them. There are definitely a ton more that I love, like the flowers... If you look more closely/pay attention, see the lady bugs!

We're starting up our machines tomorrow! Yay!! *insert very excited dance*

On Track

Schedule is tight, but we're still on it! Yay! So right now:
Moday: Finish up inspections
Tuesday: Start up machines
Wednesday: OPEN!

As easy as 1-2-3 right? Just like how to weigh and pay!
1- Pick up a cup
2- Take what yogurt and toppings you want
3- Weigh and pay!

(Although I'm not sure if #3 is cheating... But it IS all in one step! =D )

Ohhey!! If any of you haven't liked us on Facebook already: facebook.com/yotopia.mn

Love FREE stuff?? Look for our ads in Money Saver! It has a punch card in it, the same deal as the ones we are passing out! Buy 10 Get 8 oz. FREE!!!

Final Week!

So a few things! We are currently done interviewing people, as it is the final week before opening and there are still many little things to take care of, thus no more time for interviews. In theatre, we call this final week "h-e-double hockey sticks week" hehe =D

Thank you for all that have emailed for an interview! It was a pleasure to meet with you guys! Please check your emails.

For anyone who is still looking for a job, we may resume interviews later. Currently, I, the interviewer, am going to be out of town for a bit, cutting it too close to the opening date. Of course, things may change and we could still get a few in just before we open. We shall see. Keep checking up!

Also: Although we have a phone number, I have unplugged the phones and whatnot so please don't try to call and waste your time. It's unplugged so that everything doesn't get dusty while they cut up the ceiling tiles and put them up. It will definitely be there for opening day though!

HEY! Something I don't remember if I've mentioned yet!! So I had this idea for a tasting event, but instead, we are going to have a one day special where we'll sell one cup to you for "x" amount and donate all the proceeds to Lakeville North and South High Schools! Are you guys excited?? You better be, because it's going to be fantastic! We have yet to decide when that is though. Not opening day, that I am pretty sure.

At some point, maybe next year, we'll do the same thing for ISD 194 in general. Or maybe just the middle schools. And then again for the elementaries ? So many elementaries though, so maybe a few at a time? I don't know yet~

Long time no post

Salutations from the shop! We have ads going out on the 19th, so look for them in Lakeville Thisweek Newspaper! It includes a punch card that can be cut out! Of course, you can pick up one when you come in also.

We have internet and phone service now! Our estimated opening date is July 25th! Phone number is: 952-388-1777 Isn't that cool? 777 is a lucky number, right? Heheh

There are so many little things to do, even though it feels like everything is already done! Well, not quite, if you're looking inside and seeing that things are still all over the place. One of Lakeville North's art teachers has helped to make the place look lively!

I also should have taken a picture of my COMING SOON words painted on the window before half of NG got scrubbed away for the phone number though. Oh well. At least I can take a picture of the tree when it's done!

Good Things Come to Those That Read... This blog

Ceiling painting is very much underway! We shall be done with that today/tonight and then onto working on the ceiling stuff! We are getting quite close to opening now!

Hey y'all people that e-mailed me! I have replied to you, so go see! I imagine that we shall meet on Monday afternoon. Time and place is in the e-mail~ See you guys!

Hiring!

I should have probably mentioned this earlier, but it went over my head~ When a new business opens, there is a pretty high chance that there will be jobs, correct? Correct! We are hiring! We don't yet have a phone number, but email is a fantastic option! We can set up a time and place to meet!

yotopia.mn@gmail.com

Progress

The store has been completely tiled! Just some base cove left to do and some really pretty mosaic on the machine wall! Then I think it's painting and equipment! Something like that...

Anyone have flavor suggestions or requests? I promise that I'll see what I can do!

Taste Testing?

All initial inspections are done, walls are covered up, and tiling is underway! I think we just might be able to open on time as planned!

So I was thinking about taste testing. There are certain flavors I like and then some that I don't. But just because I personally don't like it, doesn't mean that other people don't like them. I would like to think that I am somewhat of a food guru, but really, my 19 years of life has hardly scratched the surface of all the foods and tastes there are in the world. Now back to the point of all this: I'd like to host an exclusive tasting event just before we open to see what people think of my flavor-mixing fun! Please do comment on this!

New blog! Oh my!

Wahh new blog! I don't really know what's going on yet. I get to play with fonts too! Awesome!

But anyways, as the first post, I suppose I should talk about what Yotopia is. Yotopia is a new frozen yogurt concept in Minnesota. It is currently under construction, but will ideally be open in mid-July. For this blog, I think I will post about the construction of the place, how it's going, and keep posted about when it's actually going to open. Plus, I can get wordy-er here than I should on Facebook or even Google+ so that my posts don't bother people too much.

Construction! The walls are all up! Inspections are happening, so the walls should be complete and kitchen tile put down by Monday! Then we get to move on to the dining room area, I think. I am quite excited about decorating the front area! Come have a peek inside if you want!