Customers bundle up for a ‘frozen’ treat at Pinkberry's grand opening

Written by Ken Borsuk, Staff Reporter
Tuesday, 17 January 2012 10:00

It must be some darn good frozen yogurt if people are bundled up in the middle of January to get a sample. That was the case last Thursday, Jan. 5, as a line of people stretched down the street for the grand opening of the new Pinkberry at 369 Greenwich Avenue. The franchise, which has been a smash hit in both Los Angeles and New York City, has finally come to town.

Eleven-year-old Basil Zirinis was the first customer to come in, and said it was worth waiting hours to be able to do it. A Pinkberry fanatic, he said similar products weren’t nearly as good and that he had been checking for weeks every day to see if the store was open yet. Shanna Miller, who brought Basil to the opening, teased that he had had his face pressed up against the glass waiting for it to open.

“There are so many stores that want to be like Pinkberry, but they’re never as good,” Basil told the Post. “I’ve never had anything as good as this. It’s so good. I’m really glad it’s here.”

Store owner Jamie Karson said he was blown away the reaction of people like Basil and it shows the popularity of not just the product, but of the overall “Pinkberry experience.”

“Everything is coming together in this unbelievable environment and I’m really happy that it’s being so well received,” Mr. Karson said.

Mr. Karson, who formerly served as the CEO of Steve Madden, a footwear company, said that after leaving that position he had been doing consulting and looking for the next big retail opportunity. When in California with his family for a vacation, he said he saw the popularity of Pinkberry. And since it wasn’t in Fairfield County, where he lives, he wanted to bring it there.

“We’re very proud to start this here and we’re going to do more,” Mr. Karson said. “Greenwich Avenue is a great retail street. I think the brand fits Fairfield County in so many ways. Pinkberry is a super premium product and it’s just the right product to have here.”

Pete Casey, director of East Coast operations for Pinkberry, was on hand for the opening and told the Post that the recent success of the company’s expansion to Manhattan showed there is a market here.

“People love the flavor,” Mr. Casey said. “They love our experience. We thought that Connecticut, with the communities that are here, was a natural fit for Pinkberry. Greenwich is exactly what we try to go for. There’s a lot of good retail co-tenants here that are very attractive for us, but mostly we want to connect with the community.”

Mr. Casey said the goal is not just to offer a good product, but also create an “experience” for the customer. That comes from the design of the store, the service and the quality of the menu, which promises to only have real non-fat yogurt and milk that are hormone-free.

In addition to the “regular” flavor, Greenwich Pinkberry also offers chocolate, mango, pomegranate, pumpkin and peanut butter on its menu.

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