The do-it-yourself frozen yogurt place on Tillotson Avenue has only been open for eight months, and already Ball State students are flocking there and calling Berrywinkle the best place in Muncie to get dessert.
-á
"Usually between 6:30 and 10 p.m. they pack in here," owner Bud Silverthorn said. "They fill it up sometimes."
-á
The store was a Long John Silver's restaurant until Silverthorn found the fish joint to be under-performing and closed it two years ago. Silverthorn said the idea for Berrywinkle came when his business partner saw a similar shop thriving near the University of Kentucky.
-á
They liked the idea and decided to open their own in Muncie, giving it a new name and style instead of having to pay fees to franchise an existing business. They contacted a woman in Kentucky, who came up with Berrywinkle's design and name, and opened the store for business about a month into the Fall Semester.
-á
Since then, Silverthorn, who owns 10 Long John Silver's restaurants throughout the central Indiana area, said business has been great.
-á
"We happily had no winter," he said, noting that he had been concerned about opening a frozen yogurt shop going into the colder months. "Since it's been warmer, our business has doubled. I'm scared to see the Ball State students leave ... but I think the families in the summer with the ball games and everything going round will be good for us."
-á
Silverthorn said he's delighted to receive the Best of Ball State honor and is pleased that students enjoy his business. He also relies on students for employment; he said five of his nine employees come from Ball State.
-á
Sophomore Angela Hatfield is one. The sophomore marking and hospitality and food management major has been with Berrywinkle since it opened in September. She said she was offered the job because her manager at the Yogurt On Your Own (YO YO) shop in Fort Wayne, Ind., recommended her to Silverthorn.
-á
"I love how it's off campus but it's still close, how people can even walk here," Hatfield said. "I just love the little kids, how they're so excited to be here and can get whatever they want on it, it's just cool to see. Even adults like it. It's just a happy place."
-á
Berrywinkle offers 14 different flavors, with an option to twist some together and make seven more. Customers can choose from at least 50 different toppings and can have their yogurt plain in a bowl or with a waffle cone. Their purchases are weighed at checkout and paid for by the ounce.
-á
Silverthorn said chocolate and vanilla are actually the most popular flavors, though the store offers everything from cookies and cream to cupcakes. He said the no-sugar and non-dairy options are also very popular, and his employees can hardly keep enough fresh strawberries cut to meet demand.
Four flavors are rotated periodically. In selecting new flavors, Silverthorn said customer feedback is essential.
"People come in and say, 'What do you think about this?' and we say, 'Okay, we'll try that,'" Silverthorn said. "Here, your interaction with customers is huge. They can walk in the door, I can look at them and know if they've been here before."
Silverthorn said employees offer customers sample cups so they can determine which flavors they would most like to eat. He said he is looking forward to the warmer weather and the business he hopes it will bring Berrywinkle, which might result in more hiring and, eventually, the opening of more locations in Muncie and the area.
"It's probably the most fun thing I've done," Silverthorn said. "It's not just eating ice cream; for people coming in, it's an experience."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
