Today's lesson for children: sometimes all you have to do is ask your parents.
At least that's what happened in Kim Hardy's story. Hardy's four children, after repeated visits to a frozen yogurt store in California, wondered why they didn't have the same tasty treats at home. Eventually, Hardy says, her lightbulb went off, and she and her sister signed up to open the first Menchie's Yogurt in Illinois.
Menchie's, open for a little over a month, joins a downtown district that is . Yet each time I have visited, the storefront on Sheridan Road is packed.
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What's the secret? Menchie's is the first of its kind in the area, a self-serve yogurt bar with a dozen flavors and more than fifty different toppings. Flavors and toppings both rotate, so the choices are different every time. On a recent visit, "mud pie" was the flavor of the month, while candy hearts and red licorice bites were Valentine-themed seasonal treats in the toppings department. Like a self-service salad bar, Menchie's charges by weight -- 45 cents per ounce -- with no extras or surcharges.
I met Hardy on a Monday night that probably should have been quiet; some of her competitors weren't even open at that hour. Upon entering Menchie's, one of the staff greeted me warmly, asked if I had been in before, and proceeded to offer me a cup to sample any of the flavors available that day. I found myself already emotionally invested in the visit, in a way that didn't feel corporate or contrived. There was a family to one side of the room, with the kids busy drawing on the chalk board, and a few other patrons filling big cups of yogurt to go.
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Hardy says that despite opening in the dead of winter, she's been pleasantly surprised by how quickly the business has ignited. Her Sheridan Road location is convenient to , , , and other kid-friendly hangouts -- and after-school business is busy. Most flavors of Menchie's Yogurt are kosher -- they are humorously labeled "Chai there" -- drawing observant customers from all over Chicago. They also always have one dairy-free sorbet choice, and many flavors are gluten-free or sugar-free as well.
Similar to , another downtown Highland Park newcomer, Hardy looked at locations up and down the North Shore before settling on Sheridan Road. She says the malls weren't interested in a newcomer, and no other location offered the combination of foot traffic and destination convenience. Winter hours are noon to 10 p.m. on weeknights, 11 p.m. on weekends and Hardy reports they are just as busy at closing time as they are all day long. Compare that to a recent visit I made to Old Orchard mall in Skokie, arriving at 8:01 p.m. -- only to find the shops closing up and only a few restaurants still open. Sounds like the mall's loss is late night Highland Park's gain.
Hardy grew up on the North Shore and lives in Northbrook today. The experience of starting up a franchise is brand new to her, but she has thoroughly enjoyed Menchie's first month in Highland Park. She says she is enjoying getting to know customers and new friends, and believes optimistically that there is room for all of our frozen confection vendors downtown. Menchie's will have outdoor seating in the summer, which should be an additional draw, like the kids toys, coloring, contests, and frequent flyer cards already available in the store.
The Menchie's franchise started in Los Angeles, and the name indeed derives from the Yiddish word meaning "honorable." In meeting Kim Hardy, I know that another corner of downtown Highland Park has an honorable steward. Menchie's is another solid addition to our downtown, and I am anxious to see what pops up next.
