The Ground Floor: Yogurt as alternative to bar scene

Iowa City's Yotopia Frozen Yogurt isn't unique in its self-serve and toppings bar concept. But, owner Veronica Tessler said, there is one way her new downtown yogurt stop stands out from the thousands of other "fro-yo" establishments popping up coast to coast.

“This might be the first frozen yogurt store in history to have a door man on weekends,” she laughed. “We have someone act as a bouncer.”

Being in the heart of downtown Iowa City - at 132 S. Clinton St., adjacent to the pedestrian mall - has been both a “blessing and a curse,” Tessler said. Although she's proud to offer Yotopia as an alternative to the bar scene, Tessler said, some of the late-night patrons can be difficult to control - especially with a self-serve toppings bar.

“I've hired a big, burly Chicago friend of mine to watch the door," Tessler said. “It can get out of hand, so we try to nip it in the bud before it becomes a problem.”

For the most part, she said, business has been smooth and steady since she opened in September. In the fall, Tessler said, Yotopia was the “new thing in town” and gained some popularity that way.

“Then we were blessed with a mild winter, and that helped us grow our customer base,” she said.

“Spring came along and everyone was excited for frozen yogurt, and here we are in summer and it's 1,000 degrees. Business has been very good.”

Tessler, a Virginia native who migrated to Iowa City for a job in Muscatine in 2007, said she long wanted to own her own business and was looking for the right time and the right gig. She started selling coffee at the Iowa City Farmer's Market a few years ago and saw her opening to snag a storefront with the trending self-serve frozen yogurt concept.

“I've seen them popping up for a decade on the West Coast and followed the trend,” she said. “But no one had done it in Iowa City, so why not me?”

Tessler said she's lived in Iowa City since moving to the Midwest and commuted for five years to Muscatine every day. She held a full-time job there until two months ago when she decided to commit herself full time to the yogurt shop.

“Instead of being there every night, I wanted to be there every day and every night, and I absolutely love it,” she said, adding that her new commute is nice, too. “Driving from Iowa City to Muscatine every day took its toll. Now my commute is about five blocks.”

Tessler said she's not surprised by her business' success, plugging her fresh ingredients and “real premium yogurt.” Some of the larger yogurt shops use a powder mix, she said.

“And I think Iowa Citians have a knack for quality,” she said.

Owner: Veronica Tessler

Company: Yotopia Frozen Yogurt

Address: 132 S. Clinton St., Iowa City

Phone: (319) 338-0500

Website: yotopiafrozenyogurt.com

Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to midnight, Friday and Saturday

Staff size: One full-time employee and 11 part-time employees

How many hours do you work? "I'm there working for the business at least 80 hours a week."

Advice for other entrepreneurs? “Trust your crazy ideas. If you have an idea that you think will work, as long as you vet it with some friends, go for it.”

Favorite part of your job? “I love being in the store and interacting with customers. It's a fun shop, and I like to be a part of the fun as much as I can.”