Swizzles Frozen Yogurt Shop To Open in Needham

Needham residents looking for a summer sweet fix now that will have a new option come June. Swizzles Frozen Yogurt is opening a self-serve frozen yogurt shop in Needham, at 1450 Highland Ave.

Swizzles founder and CEO Adam Kessner announced Thursday that he has signed a lease for the Highland Avenue building, located next to Treat Cupcake Bar and across the street from , and will be renovating it in the coming months, with a tentative opening of June 1.

“I focus on towns that have a ton of families, because that’s pretty much who our target is: families,” Kessner said, of why he chose to bring the shop to Needham. “It’s not just kids but the parents as well—everyone has a lot of fun in Swizzle shops.”

The self-serve frozen yogurt shop —its first Massachusetts location—and features a unique twist on the cold, creamy treat. The non-fat and low-fat frozen yogurt is made with natural ingredients and will be available in at least 10 flavors at any given time, Kessner said. Customers can grab a cup and fill it with as much yogurt as they like in any of the flavors, which may include vanilla, pumpkin, Irish mint, coffee, Cookies n’ Cream, Cake Batter and others. They then can add their own toppings, from fruit, nuts and granola to breakfast cereal, candy pieces and Ghiradelli chocolate and caramel syrups. The cup is then weighed to determine the price.

“It’s the first time where the customer is able to pull the handle on the ice cream machine, so it’s very exciting for kids and adults,” Kessner said. “The customer can control everything.”

A New York resident, Kessner got into the frozen yogurt business through real estate. As the owner of a real estate brokerage in Rye, NY, he was representing a frozen yogurt shop and fell in love with the product.

“I saw how popular it was, and I decided to go for it,” he said.

Kessner created the brand, logos and design of the shops—his wife came up with the name “Swizzles”—and he handpicked the yogurt and toppings.

“I decided to go with this type of yogurt simply because it tastes delicious,” Kessner said.

The Swizzles family has grown quite a bit since Kessner opened his first two shops in Darien and Wilton, CT in April 2011. The third shop opened in Ridgefield, CT in July 2011. And the company recently expanded into Massachusetts with its Winchester shop.

Along with the Needham location, Kessner is looking to open his first shop in New York, in Bronxville, in four weeks, and a store in Greenwich, CT this spring.

And he said he is about to sign another lease for a shop in Massachusetts.

“The best part about the business is that everybody loves it. Everybody leaves my shop with a smile,” he said.

Kessner said he is looking to hire about 10 people for the Needham shop, noting that the requirements for employment are “happy and smiley.” Individuals interested in employment can email their resumes to swizzlesma@swizzlesyogurt.com.

Learn more about Swizzles on their website, www.swizzlesyogurt.com.