By John Hampton | Sports Editor

Cool, creamy concoctions topped with a surplus of one’s favorite treats have created a buzz in the Bay Area. Yogurt Stop, a newly opened frozen yogurt shop, has kept customers coming back with its seemingly endless number of combinations.

When Yogurt Stop opened its doors in January, it brought with it a trend that has been growing all over the nation. Jessica Knapp, the owner of Yogurt Stop, had early plans of bringing the trend to the Oregon coast.

“I really love yogurt, and there was no place to get it on the coast,” Knapp said.

A native of Florence, Knapp opened the first Yogurt Stop in her hometown before expanding to the Public Square Center near the North Bend Bi-Mart store. Knapp and her family often came to the Bay Area to shop and devised it would be an ideal location for a second Yogurt Stop.

According to Knapp, there are 60 toppings and a bountiful amount of yogurt.

“There are 10 different machines and 100 total flavors that rotate every couple days,” Knapp said.

The craze of frozen yogurt died out in the 1990s, but it has come back with a new twist.  In the more modern frozen yogurt shops, customers fill up a dish with frozen yogurt, cover it with toppings and weigh it to determine the cost. At Yogurt Stop, toppings such as candy, cookies, cereal, fresh fruit and various syrups are available.

MHS students who have visited Yogurt Stop have taken favorites for flavors.

“I get cake batter with a bunch of toppings,” junior Kalee Wiley said.

At a price of 37 cents per ounce, Yogurt Stop offers an inexpensive, potentially healthier snack. These benefits keep customers coming back.

“I’ve probably been there 10 times,” senior Steven Pederson said.

Wiley echoed similar sentiments.

“It’s pretty much the coolest yogurt shop I’ve ever been to,” Wiley said. “I’ve been there seven times.”

According to Knapp, Yogurt Stop has gotten off to a good start.

“The shop has been fairly busy,” Knapp said.

As Yogurt Stop stands as a haven for frozen treats and those who admire them, the business still has a way to go. The business has expanded from Florence to the Bay Area, and it may continue to grow.

“Expanding has been in the back of our minds,” Knapp said, “but it’s a lot of work.”

Knapp said she wanted to create an establishment with a good environment for people of all ages. Pederson believes this has been achieved.

“I think it is a great asset to the community,” Pederson said. “It really helps when something more modern comes for teenagers.”