Genius Idea: Frozen Yogurt + Hot Cereal

So here's a random blog post for you. I was driving home from work and I passed by my local frozen yogurt (or 'FroYo' for those who don't have time to speak or type full words) place and I got to wondering: what do they do in the winter time? I should probably clarify that I live in the northeast of USA where winter = lots of snow. And lots of snow = low demand for frozen yogurt.

So what, do they just close up for the winter and cut their losses? I know there are a number of seasonal businesses but that seems kind of crazy to me. And that got me thinking, what could they sell in the winter time so that they could stay open? Then it hit me: Hot cereal (or porridge or oatmeal or whatever you want to call it).

I stole this picture from Panera.

The Perfect Pair, 

Together at Last

I know it might sound weird at first but stay with me for a minute here. Most frozen yogurt places are set up so that they have a little topping buffet area with fresh fruit, granola, nuts, etc. What would go great on a hot bowl of cereal? Fresh fruit, granola, nuts, and etc!


So here's my vision. Imagine, if you will, seeing a colorful and slightly odd looking shop across the street (within walking distance of a college or high school to maximize target customers, of course). You scan the facade and read some bizarre name like The Mustachioed Marmot. You're confused, intrigued, and a little hungry. You stop and lift your sunglasses from the bridge of your fairly bulbous nose to get a better look. That's when you see the signs that read Frozen Yogurt and Hot Cereal. The autumn breeze is making it a little chilly for frozen yogurt but a hot snack sounds great about now. You decided to walk across the street for a closer look. That jerk in the SUV nearly runs you over, but when you're safely across you see a large sticker just above the shop's door handle. It reads Free WiFi inside.

"Well that seals the deal," you said aloud. A stranger looks at you funny for talking to yourself but you shrug it off and push the door open.

Then it hits you. The incredible smell of cinnamon, apples, freshly roasted coffee, and rich hot chocolate (did I mention beverages would be sold at my shop too? Hot coffee and cocoa for when it's cold and iced lemonade and tea for hot days). You've closed your eyes to take in the savory scent and when you open them you think you've died and gone to heaven. The decor is the perfect hipster mix between Starbucks, Panera, and that bookstore you go to that nobody's heard of. Taking it all in, you walk over to the self-serve station, grab a paper bowl with a mustached rodent on it and fill it with your very own mix of cinnamon infused oatmeal. You add steaming hot water and then make your way over to the topping station. A heaping helping of diced apples, a few caramel chips, and a teaspoon of brown sugar later you're at the weighing station. You order a small hot chocolate to go with it and slide your card for the cute barista with the mustache sticker just below her/his nose. Within moments you're sitting in a cozy corner, your Macbook air on the table in front of you, the latest Lumineers or Civil Wars track playing through the shop's speakers, and a nice hot bowl of cereal warming up your cold hands. Perfection.

Genius idea right? Let me know what you think in the comments. I would also love to hear your own little shop ideas (and especially their bizarre nonsensical names).