Charlotte's frozen yogurt scene is still booming, with a new self-serve location opening soon in Dilworth.
Two local frozen yogurt newbies, Tara Hubara and Erik Giles, are behind the new Menchie's franchise at Kenilworth Avenue and East Boulevard. The colorful shop will be North Carolina's first Menchie's, adding to a slew of fro-yo joints that have opened here in the past several years, including Tasty-Yo, Pinkberry, TCBY, The Frozen Isle and Yoforia.
"There has certainly been a rebirth of frozen yogurt," said Hubara, whose day job is doing human resources work at her husband's appliance company. She thinks that there's still room in the marketplace, and that Menchie's unique features - a party room, a patio, a fireplace and even a mascot - will set it apart.
Before Menchie's, her work experience had "nothing to do with frozen yogurt whatsoever." She met Giles, who owns a computer consulting company in Charlotte, when they both independently approached Menchie's about opening a franchise. For now, they'll keep their day jobs as they get the business off the ground.
Giles said he still enjoys his consulting business, but was looking to do something "that gives people smiles on their faces more than IT." And his kids go nuts for self-serve frozen yogurt, so Giles figured that would be a business that would allow him to spend quality time with them.
The store is still being outfitted, although the colorful name and logo are in place out front. They're planning a soft opening for friends and family sometime next week. A grand opening will follow soon after, but the date hasn't been set.