Gainesville has a soft spot for frozen yogurt.
Two new stores will join Gainesville's bevy of yogurt shops.
Florida's first Tutti Frutti, a self-serve frozen yogurt shop, will open at 1232 W University Ave. No information was available about its projected open date, but the location is listed on the company's Web site.
The second store, located on the first floor of the new downtown Hampton Inn & Suites, will be Gainesville's second Mochi. One of the managers, Jurel Serrana, said business has been good at the company's Archer Road location, which opened during Summer A. The new store is expected to open in January.
Mochi's business hours are noon to midnight every day. According to Serrana, the downtown store will have the same hours, but it may be open later on weekends for clubgoers.
While Mochi is expanding, other yogurt shops aren't afraid of the competition.
Yogaberry general manager Jennifer Fichter said she expects the store to stay afloat in the flooding market.
"Is [the competition] daunting? No, not really," Fichter said. "It's all about what kind of PR you do."
Fichter said that Yogaberry's coffee menu and pastry assortments make it unique from other yogurt shops. She said the shop is trying to keep the customers who loved Deja Brew.
Mochi finds its individuality in the environmentally friendliness of its product, Serrana said.
The cups and spoons at Mochi are made of plant starch and biodegradable materials. The yogurt machines have an energy-saving cooling system, and some of the decor is made from partially recycled materials.
To keep customers coming back for that frozen fix during the cold months, Serrana said Mochi will play around with new flavors and take requests from customers. Serrana said frozen yogurt is a healthy alternative to other desserts.
She said new designs for the downtown Mochi are in the making.
"I think Mochi is really different," Serrana said. "I think frozen yogurt is going to be here for a while."
