Swizzles Frozen Yogurt Shop To Open Today

It may be August already, but there's still time for one last taste of summer.

is expected to open the doors on its new Needham shop today at around 11 a.m. Located at 1450 Highland Ave., the shop is the company’s second in Massachusetts—the first in January. Another shop will be opening soon in Swampscott.

“We’re getting our occupancy permit tomorrow morning, so we’ll open tomorrow morning around 11,” Regional Manager Lori Smith said Thursday, as she and other Swizzles staff—including General Manager David Rice—put the final touches on the shop.

Needham has been down an ice cream shop since after more than 25 years of business, and local residents appear to be eagerly awaiting the opening of Swizzles. All week, people have been dropping by the shop to see if they are open, Smith said.

“It’s been crazy, nonstop the last few days, where it looks like we’re open because we’re so close,” she said. “It’s been a lot of fun. We’ve just been telling people that we’re almost there.”

The shop was originally slated for a , but the permitting process took a little longer than expected, and renovations didn’t get underway until late May.

Founded by New York resident Adam Kessner, Swizzles Frozen Yogurt offers a new twist on an old favorite. Swizzles customers arrive at the shop, grab a cup, and fill it with their choice of frozen yogurt or sorbet flavors, then add toppings and bring the cup to the cashier to be weighed. The final product is priced by the ounce.

At any time, the shop offers at least 10 varieties of all-natural fat-free or low-fat frozen yogurt in flavors such as vanilla, pumpkin, Irish mint, coffee, Cookies n’ Cream and Cake Batter. They also offer a dairy-free sorbet.

“Five of the flavors stay the same because they’re the favorites, but then we rotate out the other flavors every week or two weeks,” Smith said.

Customers can also add toppings such fruits, nuts and granola, breakfast cereal, candy pieces and syrups.

“We feel our product is really superior,” Smith said. “And the self-serve concept is a lot of fun. People love to be able to make their own portions and to mix and match however they want. The whole vibe of the store is fun, and the layout is really user-friendly.”

For the rest of the summer, Swizzles Frozen Yogurt in Needham will be open seven days a week from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. In the winter, the shop will close at 8:30 p.m. daily, Smith said.

The new shop is located right next to another business that specializes in sweets——and even has a similar style, with its bright, colorful storefront. While Treat specializes in cupcakes instead of fro-yo, they too offer a create-it-yourself option and flavors that change with the seasons.

So is that too much of a good thing?

Smith says no.

“I think they’re a good complement to each other,” she said of Swizzles and Treat. “I think even looking from the outside at the two shops, they fit really well together. They’re great people; we’ve gotten to know them. I think it will be great.”