Twisties In Lacey Offers Portland’s Popular YoCream Frozen Yogurt And A Mountain Of Topping Options

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frozen yogurt olympia lacey tumwaterImagine a gleaming salad bar, sneeze guard protecting divided areas of greens, vegetables, cheese, croutons, and the like.

Now imagine all those savory items replaced with sweet, sweet frozen yogurt toppings and sauces: sprinkles, brownie bites, cheesecake bites, M&Ms, gummies galore, Oreo cookies, hot fudge, and raspberry. The list goes on and on.

Then picture your choice of those tantalizing toppings ladled atop one of eight fantastic flavors of Portland’s YoCream Frozen Yogurt.

Sounds amazing, right?

Well, get over to the newly opened Twisties just off the Yelm Highway in South Lacey, by Lowe’s, and make the scrumptious self-serve dessert of your dreams a reality.

Chad and Debbie Thomas opened Twisties in late January. Chad first got the idea during a family trip to Texas two-and-a-half years ago.

“My wife and kids went off with my brother-in-law’s wife and kids and went to this yogurt store,” says Chad. “They really loved it.”

frozen yogurt olympia lacey tumwaterA few days later they all went out to try another yogurt place. Chad still remembers that visit vividly: a bright, vibrant shop, people streaming in and out, and a friendly staff.

“The whole process was just neat,” he says. “Going through and choosing your flavor and toppings – everything was your choice.”

After concocting the final dish, customers weighed it, and paid by the ounce. “It could cost as little or as much as you wanted it to,” Chad says.

Chad’s brother-in-law mused that a similar frozen yogurt shop would be great in Olympia.

“I agreed,” says Chad. “And two-and-a-half years ago, there was nothing like it here. So I sat there and just watched.”

Chad’s chosen profession is as an architectural, structural draftsman. He’s been self-employed for nine years, doing drafting work all over the United States. As things slowed in the construction industry, Chad began to think about other options. Frozen yogurt smothered in tasty toppings sounded pretty good.

“I started doing research and looked into the franchises,” he says, “but they’re so expensive. It just wasn’t feeling good to me, so I stopped that process.”

About a year later, he found himself thinking about the possibilities again.

The process of getting a small business loan went poorly. “My credit is immaculate,” says Chad, “but I didn’t have any food service experience.”

In the end, and after frustrating experiences with more than one bank, Chad financed the venture entirely himself.

He found the space and talked about his plans with realtor Debbie Draper. “She was amazing,” he says. “In talking with her about the business and businesses in the area, she was a lot of help, and really helped me make my decision.”

After about six months of hard work, Twisties was a reality. Chad continues to do drafting work on the side. “I’m slowly trying to weed it out,” he says, “but I just happened to get a four-story building when I opened the store.”

The entire Twisties enterprise is a family affair. Chad designed the space, while Debbie did all the tile work, painting, and floors; she also designed the company logo. The couple’s daughter Madison came up with the shop’s color scheme. “My son Carter is the taste tester,” Chad says with a laugh.

frozen yogurt olympia lacey tumwater“This is all my design, my idea, my wife’s work, my work, my kids’ work,” he says. “My mom works for me and my niece work for me. It’s all family.”

“It’s a very good product,” Chad says of the popular Portland YoCream Frozen Yogurt. “They have 50 or 60 different flavors, and I’m only serving eight of those, so they will change periodically – even the ones that people love, like Cake Batter.”

Flavors the store has offered so far include Heath Toffee, Red Velvet Cake, Country Vanilla, Sugar Free Raspberry, Blueberry Acia Tart, NY Cheesecake, and more.

Chad plans to always include nonfat, no-sugar, non-dairy, and tart options.

Twisties asks customers and Facebook page visitors to vote on new flavors.

“I truly do tally it up,” Chad says. “The three new flavors I got in the store yesterday were chosen by the people.”

Whittling flavor choices to eight keep things simple. The same has shaken out for the toppings.

“I have 40 or 50 toppings to choose from, but I’ve found, by talking with people, that if you simplify things, people are actually happier,” Chad says. Fewer toppings to ponder also speeds up the process through the line.

But that doesn’t mean folks can’t make topping requests. “If I had something out the day before, they can ask,” Chad says. “It’s probably up in one of my candy jars on the shelf.”

Twisties plans to work with Spooner Farms this summer to provide fresh local fruit toppings.

They also offer fresh-baked Otis Spunkmeyer cookies. “During the weekends, we’re going to sell the cookies,” Chad says. “Any that don’t sell will get chopped up into toppings.”

Chad and Debbie live near Millersylvania and their kids go to school in Tenino, where Chad grew and has long been involved in the community, coaching soccer for nine years.

Twisties is planning monthly fundraisers to benefit a variety of area schools or organizations. “Right now, I’m supporting the DECA program at Timberline High School,” Chad explains.

The shop sells jelly wristbands that say “Twisties” on them. Each one sells for $3, with $2 of that going back to the chosen school or organization.

“After you purchase a band, every time you come in, you get 50 cents off any order of $3.50 or more,” Chad explains.

For Chad, the best thing about his self-serve salad-bar-type shop is that each customer controls exactly what he or she gets. Twisties charges 43 cents per ounce.

“People can come through the line and spend two bucks or they can spend thirteen bucks, it just depends on what they want.”

Twisties simply provides the delicious varieties and seemingly endless combination possibilities – some on the healthier end of the scale, others more hedonistic.

“I always say,” Chad says with a laugh, “that you can eat as good as you want or as bad as you want.”

 

frozen yogurt olympia lacey tumwaterTwisties

5500 Corporate Center Ln. SE, Suite B

Lacey, WA 98503

360.628.8044

 

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